INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 6 March 2007,  Official Report, columns 1835-6W, on Afghanistan: overseas aid, how much funding each organisation listed in Annexe A and Annexe B received from his Department for the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan in each of the last three financial years.

Hilary Benn: DFID Afghanistan has channelled the following amounts through the organisations listed in Annexe A and Annexe B of the answer of 6 March 2007,  Official Report, columns 1835-6W for reconstruction and development in Afghanistan over the last three financial years (broken down by year where available):
	
		
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  Total 
			  Annexe A—international organisations 
			 Aga Khan (£) 700,000 1,700,000 700,000 3,100,000 
			 BBC World Service Trust (£) — — 49,595 49,595 
			 BAAG (£) 100,000 158,000 39,000 297,000 
			  
			  Annexe B—local organisations 
			 Afghan Fertiliser Company (£) — — 1,789 1,789 
			 Afghanistan Independence Human Rights Commission ($) — — — 5,700 
			 Afghanistan Information Management Service ($) 4,196 — — 4,196 
			 Afghanistan National Construction Coordination ($) 63,976 — — 63,976 
			 Co-operation Centre for Afghanistan ($) — — — 8,380 
			 Helping Afghan Farmers Organisation (£) — — 1,336,000 1,336,000 
			 Irtiqa Development and Construction Organisation ($) — — — 71,640 
			 Reconstruction Committee for Development of Afghanistan ($) — — — 74,500 
			 Roshan Construction Company ($) 23,547 — — 23,547 
			 Southern Afghanistan Development Association ($) — — — 95,000 
			 Southern Rehabilitation and Aid Committee ($) — — — 23,000 
			 Tribal Liaison Office (£) — — 81,952 81,952 
		
	
	Other organisations listed in Annexe A and Annexe B were funded prior to the last three financial years. DFID Afghanistan also indirectly funds a range of non-governmental organisations as implementing partners of the Government of Afghanistan's National Priority Programmes (e.g. through our support to the National Solidarity Programme).

Cambodia: Forestry

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether her Department has made any recent representations to the Government of Cambodia on the subject of reform of the forestry sector.

Gareth Thomas: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 27 March,  Official Report column 1373.

Departments: Advertising

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's total spending was on advertising and promotional campaigns in each year since 1997; and what the cost of each campaign was, broken down by costs relating to  (a) television,  (b) radio and  (c) print media.

Gareth Thomas: DFID has not to date advertised on television or radio. Spending on advertising in print media for recruitment and procurement purposes was as follows:
	
		
			   Spend (£) 
			 2000 751,972 
			 2001 1,208,192 
			 2002 914,571 
			 2003 849,196 
			 2004 700,077 
			 2005 397,776 
		
	
	Figures prior to 2000 and for 2006 are not available.
	
		
			  Spend on promotional campaigns since November 2000 
			   Total  (£) 
			  (i) Second White Paper on International Development  
			 To raise awareness of the Government's White Paper "Eliminating World Poverty-Making globalisation work for the poor" 41,945 
			   
			  (ii) Developments Magazine and Rough Guide Campaign  
			 To promote Developments Magazine and The Rough Guide to a Better World 3,642 
			  (iii) Trade Matters Campaign  
			 To raise awareness of the role of trade in fighting world poverty and promote availability of a new free publication—Trade Matters. 26,176 
			   
			  (iv) Developments Magazine Campaign  
			 To increase the number of subscribers to the Department's free magazine—Developments. 12,934 
			   
			  (v) Third White Paper on International Development  
			 To raise awareness of the UK Government's action plan for working with overseas and international partners to reduce world poverty over the next five years. 125,000 
			   
			  (vi) G8 Gleneagles—One year on  
			 To report progress on delivering the commitments proposed at the G8 summit. 62,275

Departments: Public Appointments

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the former hon. Members who left Parliament in 2005 who have since been appointed to public bodies by his Department, broken down by party; and who was responsible for making each appointment.

Gareth Thomas: Information about the political activity of appointees is recorded and publicised in accordance with the independent Commissioner for Public Appointments' code of practice. DFID has made no public appointments of former hon. Members who left Parliament in 2005.

Departments: Trade Unions

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many meetings  (a) he and  (b) his Department's Ministers held with trade union representatives in 2006.

Gareth Thomas: A number of Trade Unions take a close interest in International Development. The Secretary of State for International Development and myself attended a small number of civil society events and forums in 2006 at which Trade Unions were represented, and development issues discussed.
	The Public and Commercial Services (PCS) Union and the Association of the First Division Civil Servants (FDA) both have members in the Department for International Development. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for International Development and myself held no official meetings with representatives from these unions in 2006 but did meet with PCS union representatives in March 2007.

Departments: Work Permits

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many work permits were applied for by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies in each of the last five years.

Gareth Thomas: DFID has helped four people to apply for work permits over the past five years.
	The work permits were linked to staff appointed in country coming to the UK on short-term learning and development attachments.

Human Trafficking

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to prevent women being trafficked into the UK.

Gareth Thomas: Poverty and social exclusion make people vulnerable to human trafficking. DFID supports long-term development programmes to help eliminate the underlying causes of poverty.
	Most of the poorest people in the world are women and girls. Part of what makes them poor is discrimination because of their gender. DFID is making gender equality a priority across its work. This commitment is set out in our Gender Equality Action Plan. Our programmes are helping to improve the education of girls, and the livelihood opportunities, security and political participation of poor women, so that they are less vulnerable to trafficking.

Iraq: Overseas Aid

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding his Department committed in each year since the invasion to  (a) water and sanitation projects and  (b) electrification projects in Iraq.

Hilary Benn: Since 2003, DFID has spent the following amounts to improve electricity and water and sanitation in Iraq:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   Electricity  Water and Sanitation 
			 2003-04 12.1 10.3 
			 2004-05 6.2 1.6 
			 2005/06 5.2 6.6 
			 2006-07 8.2 3.3 
		
	
	In addition, DFID has contributed £70 million to the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRRFI). This has financed electricity, water and sanitation projects across Iraq. We have also contributed £36 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross so that they can provide emergency assistance to Iraqis. This includes access to clean water and sanitation.

Latin America: Debts

Peter Kilfoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had on debt relief in  (a) Nicaragua and  (b) other Latin American countries.

Gareth Thomas: Since 1999 Nicaragua (US$ 4.5 billion), Honduras (US$1 billion) and Bolivia (US$ 2.06 billion), have all received substantial debt relief through the heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative. In addition, since its implementation last year these countries have also benefited from the 100 per cent. cancellation of debt stock owed to the World Bank, IMF and African Development Bank under the multilateral debt relief initiative (MDRI). Last year, the MDRI relieved debts of $968 million to Nicaragua, $1.3 billion to Honduras and $1.75 billion to Bolivia. DFID has monitored the spending of this money through our work with the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank and the International Monetary Fund. This helps to ensure that the money gets targeted to items in the budget that directly impact on the poor, such as health and education. We have cancelled all outstanding bilateral debt owed to the UK, including contributing to the debt relief provided under HIPC and MDRI.
	Despite good progress on multilateral debt relief, Nicaragua still has about $1.3 billion in outstanding debt from commercial creditors who are not part of either HIPC or MDRI. This debt hinders how Nicaragua can use other debt relief to address poverty, and is subject to 'vulture funds' which buy the debt when Nicaragua is least able to pay, and then press for repayment at several times the debt's face value, when economic prospects are looking better. DFID has just committed $3.5 million to the elimination of this debt, in a deal with the World Bank and other donors. The deal itself reduces the debt to $64 million. The Nicaraguan Government itself will contribute $3.5 million. With contributions from the Government of Nicaragua, World Bank, DFID and others, it is hoped that this will fully eliminate the outstanding commercial debt owed by Nicaragua.
	In addition, the Inter-America Development Bank has recently announced debt relief to the five poorest countries in the region. This amounts to $3.4 billion and $1.0 billion of future interest payments from its fund for special operations (FSO). This will provide immediate relief of $1 billion for Bolivia, $984 million for Nicaragua, and $467 million for Guyana among others. However, the UK has abstained from voting on this deal, along with several other European countries. This was because of concerns that the deal would hinder access of the poorest countries to concessionary IADB financing in the future. Access to continued flows of concessionary lending from the FSO of the IADB will be important to the achievement of the millennium development goals in countries such as Nicaragua. The UK is currently in discussions with IADB and other shareholders on this matter.

Nepal

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Nepal.

Gareth Thomas: DFID, like other international donors, monitors the humanitarian situation in Nepal primarily through the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA). UNOCHA provides leadership to and co-ordination of the international humanitarian community, and works with DFID and other international bodies to monitor and respond to emerging and ongoing humanitarian crises. In 2006-07 DFID provided £700,000 to support humanitarian monitoring and co-ordination, and the provision of food aid in response to drought.
	Food security problems, particularly related to drought, are severely affecting more than 900,000 people. Health indicators remain at a critical level, with acute malnutrition among children under five having increased to 12 per cent. over the last five years. Protection remains a central issue, including for children directly affected by the conflict. Significant numbers of those displaced during the conflict have been returning—either spontaneously, or with facilitation, though many internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees continue to face protection concerns. 107,000 Bhutanese refugees remain dependent on international aid. In addition to the humanitarian challenges exacerbated by the conflict, Nepal's mountainous terrain means that it continues to be vulnerable to natural disasters including landslides, floods, and earthquakes.
	The UN has just launched a Common Appeal for Transition Support which provides a framework for a co-ordinated international response to these issues. The appeal focuses on issues of particular importance in the short term, including food security, health, displacement, disaster preparedness, and protection. DFID is currently examining the appeal document to assess which elements it might support, and will continue to monitor the humanitarian situation jointly with UNOCHA and other partners.

Zimbabwe: Overseas Aid

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid was provided to Zimbabwe by the UK in 2006-07.

Hilary Benn: The UK is one of the largest bilateral donors of humanitarian support to Zimbabwe, supporting over 1.5 million of the poorest people. DFID spent £138.9 million bilaterally in Zimbabwe in financial years 2001-02 to 2005-06. Our funding prioritises HIV/AIDS, food insecurity and supporting orphans and vulnerable children. Our current programmes will help ensure that an additional 30,000 people receive anti-retroviral treatment, will provide health care for around 350,000 children, promote food security in both urban and rural areas and assist extremely vulnerable displaced people. The UK does not give direct funding to the Government of Zimbabwe. All DFID's bilateral funding is channelled through NGOs and UN agencies, much of it programmed jointly with other donors. We do not believe in cutting direct assistance to poor Zimbabweans and thus punishing them further for their unaccountable government.
	Through the Africa Conflict Prevention Pool, jointly funded by DFID, FCO and MOD, the UK supports civil society organisations to promote better governance and human rights. Allocations totalled £2 million in 2006-07 and will be £2.5 million in 2007-08. The British embassy in Harare also supports community groups with small grants (£800,000 per year). The UK contributions to multilateral aid to Zimbabwe (United Nations, European Commission, World Bank and others) totalled £37.5 million from 2000 to 2004 inclusive.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Elections: Expenditure

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what assessment has been made of the case for decentralising responsibility for monitoring and regulating campaign and constituency expenditure in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to its regional offices.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that it set out its views on the role of its regional and devolved offices on 19 March in its response to the 11(th) report from the Committee in Standards in Public Life. This is available in the House of Commons Library and on the Commission's website.

Elections: Local Government

Caroline Spelman: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what assessment the Electoral Commission has made of the potential change in local government electoral turnout in an elected mayoral system.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that it has made no assessment of the potential change in local government electoral turnout in an elected mayoral system.

Electoral Commission

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what assessment he has made of the effect of proposals to allow party members to serve as  (a) staff of the Electoral Commission and  (b) Electoral Commissioners on the effectiveness of the Electoral Commission.

Peter Viggers: In its Eleventh Report, the Committee on Standards in Public Life made recommendations aimed at changing the extent of the statutory restrictions on grounds of political activity on appointment as an Electoral Commissioner, and at reducing the duration of the similar restrictions on appointments to the Commission's staff. The Speaker's Committee will be considering this report soon. I also refer my hon. Friend to my answer of 25 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1868W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Crewe and Nantwich, (Mrs. Dunwoody).

Electoral Commission

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission how many staff of the Electoral Commission have worked for the Commission  (a) for less than one year,  (b) for between (i) one and two years, (ii) two and three years, (iii) three and four years, (iv) four and five years and  (c) for more than five years.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that the figures for current staff are as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 (a) less than 1 year 37 
			 (b) (i) 1-2 years 25 
			 (b) (ii) 2-3 years 17 
			 (b) (iii) 3-4 years 26 
			 (b) (iv) 4-5 years 22 
			 (c) more than 5 years 15 
			  Note:  As at 23 March 2007. 'Current staff' includes all permanent and fixed term staff members, but excludes consultants and temporary workers.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

House of Lords: Powers

Andrew George: To ask the Leader of the House pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2007,  Official Report, column 173W, on the House of Lords: powers, what timetable he has set for  (a) the reconvening of the cross-party talks and  (b) the setting of a date for a detailed statement on the way forward.

Jack Straw: The Government are currently considering the next stages and once discussions are complete I will make a detailed statement to the House.

Political Parties: Finance

Jo Swinson: To ask the Leader of the House what representations he has received on the propriety of front companies acting as conduits to allow anonymous donations to political parties.

Jack Straw: I have received many representations on this issue from hon. Members over recent months.
	Its importance has also been recognised by Sir Hayden Phillips in his recent report—'Strengthening Democracy: Fair and Sustainable Funding of Political Parties'—where he states:
	"Unincorporated associations and companies that make donations to political parties should be required to identify the people involved in making the decisions to give money to the parties."
	The Government share this concern and agree that this is an area which would benefit from further consideration.

Written Questions

Oliver Heald: To ask the Leader of the House if he will bring forward proposals for the electronic provision of answers to hon. Members who ask written parliamentary questions.

Jack Straw: The proof of concept database which allows the electronic exchange of parliamentary answers between Government Departments and the House of Commons (ePC) has recently been reviewed by Domain Technologies. The review was funded by the Leader's office and the authorities of the House of Commons.
	It is my intention to proceed to the next stage in its development.

Written Questions

Oliver Heald: To ask the Leader of the House if he will place in the Library a copy of the internal guidance detailing the administrative procedure by which written parliamentary questions are  (a) placed in the Library,  (b) sent to the hon. Member who asked the question and  (c) made available to the Press Gallery.

Jack Straw: Good practice followed by all Government Departments is that the answers should be available to hon. Members prior to them being distributed elsewhere in the House, e.g. Library,  Hansard, Press Gallery etc.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture: Biofuels

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to encourage the use of anaerobic digestion of farm waste to create biogas for energy production.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government are committed to making the most of the potential of anaerobic digestion to contribute to a number of our key objectives, notably, reducing greenhouse emissions from waste management and agriculture and improving air and water quality, as well as providing a source of renewable energy.
	The UK Biomass Strategy and the national Waste Strategy, both of which will be published later this spring, will set out the important contribution which anaerobic digestion can make to achieving these objectives.
	In order to encourage the greater uptake of anaerobic digestion, I am pleased that the Environment Agency has agreed to develop a standard for digestate in 2007-08. This will allow modern regulatory principles to be applied to the use of this material and bring certainty to when this material is considered to be "fully recovered". This should help to facilitate the development of markets for digestate.

Air Pollution: Small Businesses

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice his Department makes available to small businesses on meeting emission targets.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 27 March 2007
	 The Department funds the Carbon Trust, a not-for-profit company that works closely with business to encourage sustainable use of energy, establish energy efficient practices and systems, and develop low carbon technologies.
	The Carbon Trust's products and services for small/medium enterprises (SMEs) include an interest-free loan scheme of £5,000 to £100,000 for approved energy saving measures. The trust also provides advice via their website and a dedicated customer call centre, supports various trade bodies that work directly with SMEs and provides site survey visits to companies with energy bills over £50,000.

Animal Welfare

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the animal welfare enforcement database;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with  (a) the Home Office,  (b) the Department for Constitutional Affairs and  (c) the Information Commissioner regarding the animal welfare enforcement database.

Ben Bradshaw: DEFRA Ministers and officials have not yet discussed this issue with the Home Office, the Court Service or the Information Commissioner. However, we do see merit in establishing a central database for enforcers to access information such as details of convictions for offences relating to animals, disqualifications from keeping an animal, and certain records relating to previous licences. At present, there is no central record of those subject to disqualification orders and this is regarded as a significant handicap to effective law enforcement. The database could also contain a register of specialist experts, which would ideally be accessible to enforcers.

Bovine Tuberculosis

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what steps he has taken to establish the new arrangements for securing scientific advice on bovine TB following the Government's strategic framework;
	(2)  what steps he has taken to implement the proposals put forward by his Department's Science Advisory Council in 2005 for the establishment of a new bovine TB Science Advisory Board.

Ben Bradshaw: The Government are committed to establishing a new bovine TB Science Advisory Body (bTB SAB) to provide independent expert advice to inform policy decisions on bovine TB issues.
	Defra has broadly accepted the recommendations put forward by the Science Advisory Council (SAC) and has had lengthy discussions with SAC members to receive advice on reporting channels, body composition and terms of reference for its proposed bTB SAB. Agreement has been reached to establish an overarching bTB SAB with an independent external chair and membership drawn from existing, strengthened, independent expert advisory subgroups covering all aspects of the bTB science programme.
	The Department continues to obtain independent expert peer review at all stages of its procurement and management of research and, last July, a quinquennial review of Defra's Bovine Tuberculosis Research programme was carried out. The report is available on the Defra website.

Bovine Tuberculosis

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what the purpose is of a disease report form; and how the data collected are used to provide a better understanding of bovine TB;
	(2)  what use is made of the data obtained from the bovine TB disease report form; and if he will list the notices, reports and other documents that have been collected as a result of the process.

Ben Bradshaw: Since 1 January 2005, the TB Disease Report Form (DRF) has been used to collect the information required for dealing with each new TB incident.
	When cattle react positively to a TB test, or TB is detected in a carcase or animal, an investigation is initiated into the circumstances of the incident. Information is collected to establish, whenever possible, the origin of infection.
	The DRF is used to capture on-farm information, and collate results from the incident. The collection of data and the epidemiological section are used to consider the possible origins of infection and potential risks of further disease spread, set up lists of animals to be traced and identify which neighbouring premises require additional testing.

Bovine Tuberculosis

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what data from the bovine TB disease report form is entered into the electronic data retrieval system; how many forms are held by  (a) the State Veterinary Service and  (b) his Department; for how long are they retained; and what average time is taken for a veterinary officer to complete a form.

Ben Bradshaw: The information in the TB Disease Report Form (DRF) is collated and used by local State Veterinary Service (SVS) Officers to manage TB incidents. At the present time, the majority of the information captured is not normally entered onto an electronic database. However, such information may be routinely captured by other means as part of normal SVS business. The SVS are currently updating their information technology (IT) systems and plan to capture such information electronically in the future.
	Information relating to neighbouring farms and cattle movements is used by the SVS to identify cattle 'at risk' of spreading TB. This information is entered into IT systems to trigger TB testing for neighbouring animals or herds. Information such as TB testing results and post-mortem results are taken from other IT systems and added to the DRF.
	SVS staff are instructed to initiate a DRF for each TB incident. Between the beginning of 2005 and the end of 2006 there were 7,103 new TB incidents. Records are held by the SVS, not the core Department. DRFs are retained for up to 25 years.
	SVS staff initially complete parts of the DRF with the farmer involved, then complete it later at the local office; this can take, in total, between three and four hours. The DRF is subsequently updated with case-related results as required.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations have been received by his Department from  (a) farmers and  (b) landowners seeking licences to cull badgers infected with bovine TB.

Ben Bradshaw: Natural England has received three applications in the last 12 months under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 section 10(2)(a) for the purpose of preventing the spread of bovine tuberculosis (bTB). These applications resulted in the issue of one licence, which was to permit an animal hospital to euthanase rescued badgers testing positive to bTB. Of the two remaining applications, both from farmers, one application, which was seeking to interfere with a badger sett, was refused after due consideration, while the other application has been placed on hold.
	Most TB applications would currently be placed on hold while scientific evidence base is being assessed and organisational questions around possible badger culling are addressed. However, there may be exceptions, for example, applications to euthanase captive badgers testing positive to bTB will still be processed.

Cattle Identification

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many cattle have been  (a) seized and  (b) slaughtered due to inadequate identification in the past 12 months.

Ben Bradshaw: Between 23 March 2006 and 23 March 2007, 875 cattle were slaughtered under provisions within the Cattle Identification Regulations on 11 separate occasions. One of these compulsory slaughters accounts for 567 of these animals.

Climate Change

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to Clause 4.8 of the draft Climate Change Bill, by what mechanisms he expects to put into law the climate change framework to drive innovation among domestic firms for low carbon solutions.

Ian Pearson: Paragraph 4.8 of the consultation document on the draft Climate Change Bill refers to provisions aimed at driving innovation among domestic firms. The Bill provides a clear, credible and (crucially) a long-term legal framework for reducing emissions. This will provide greater certainty and confidence for businesses to be able to plan and make the long term investment decisions needed to drive innovation and to deliver the changes needed to move to a low carbon economy.
	The Government hope to receive a wide range of views.

Departments: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department provided in grants for projects in the London borough of Bexley in each of the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: In addition to funding given under the Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services (EPOS) block of Government grant, the London borough of Bexley has also been awarded other grants for waste management as follows:
	
		
			  Funding type  Funding amount (£)  Funding description  Start date  End date 
			 London waste minimisation and recycling fund 691,000 Fund to improve waste minimisation and recycling in London 1 April 2002 31 March 2004 
			 London waste minimisation and recycling fund 264,076 Fund to improve waste minimisation and recycling in London 1 April 2004 31 March 2006 
			 Grant to relieve spending pressures on waste 122,991 £20 million allocated to LAs according to need to spend on waste services 1 April 2004 31 March 2005 
			 Local authority support unit: direct consultancy support 56,400 Assessment of cross-border use and re-use and recycling centres 1 April 2004 31 March 2005 
			 Waste and resources action programme: civic amenity sites grant 35,000 LA grant scheme round 1 2004-05 1 April 2004 31 March 2005 
			 Local authority support unit: direct consultancy support 40,730 Waste composition audit 1 April 2005 31 March 2006 
			 Local authority support unit: direct consultancy support 19,600 Waste composition audit 1 April 2006 31 March 2007 
			 Waste performance and efficiency grant 175,651 Capital: £98,803.44; Revenue: £76,847.12 1 April 2005 31 March 2006 
			 Waste performance and efficiency grant 459,788 Capital: £229,894; Revenue: £229,894 1 April 2006 31 March 2007

Hazardous Substances: Waste Management

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research his Department has undertaken on the use of thermal depolymerisation as a process for recycling hazardous medical and sewage waste into fuel.

Ben Bradshaw: My Department has not undertaken any research into the use of thermal depolymerisation as a mechanism for generating fuel or disposing of waste.

Pet Animals

Elliot Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether the Government plan to ratify the European Convention on Pet Animals.

Ben Bradshaw: We recognise that the European Convention has been an important catalyst in raising animal welfare standards. The introduction of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 in England and Wales, as well as the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, means that our laws are now consistent with the principles set out in the convention. Nevertheless, there are aspirations in the convention, in particular the resolution on breed standards, which may not necessarily be the most effective way of promoting welfare.
	DEFRA is currently working with the devolved administrations to identify the implications of the convention, were the Government to sign it, and areas that may cause mutual concerns.

Rats

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to his answer of 16 January 2007,  Official Report, column 979W, on rats, if he will break down the rat population in England by  (a) region and  (b) local authority area as indicated by the English House Condition Survey 2001.

Ben Bradshaw: The data on rodent infestation in domestic dwellings as revealed by the English House Condition Survey (EHCS) 2001 are broken down by region in the report "Rodent infestations in domestic properties in England, 2001".
	My Department does not have data on the rat population broken down by local authority. The EHCS data only provides an estimate of the proportion of dwellings with rat infestations inside or outside. It does not provide definitive data on numbers of rats.

Waste Disposal

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent steps his Department has taken to counteract pollution caused by unauthorised chemical waste dumping; what recent assessment he has made of the extent of such dumping; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: There are strict controls on the management and disposal of all wastes, including waste chemicals, and producers of waste have a duty to ensure that it is lawfully managed. Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 makes it an offence to illegally dispose of waste and carries a maximum penalty of an unlimited fine, or five years imprisonment, or both. The Government have been developing and implementing its waste crime strategy for a number of years now. We will continue to do so as I believe that all forms of illegal waste disposal need to be prevented as far as possible. Where they do happen, incidents and offenders must be dealt with promptly and efficiently by the enforcing authorities.
	The Environment Agency (EA) has the leading role in the enforcement of waste regulation and works with local authorities to tackle the fly-tipping of waste. Over the last five years, the EA has been called out to 134 incidents involving organic and inorganic wastes which would include 'chemical wastes'. In 2006, there was a small drop in the number of incidents compared to previous years. At incidents, the EA take action to ensure that wastes are cleared up to prevent harm to human health and the environment.
	Flycapture, the national fly-tipping database, was set up in 2004 by Defra, the EA and the Local Government Association to record the number of fly-tipping incidents dealt with by the EA and local authorities. There are 15 categories of waste that are recorded on the database but none of these specifically record chemical wastes. However, one category records chemical drums, oil and fuel and, in 2005-06, there were 4,927 incidences recorded.

Waste Disposal

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with relevant EU directorates concerning the adoption of the composting protocol by the Environment Agency;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the Environment Agency concerning compliance with the Waste Framework Directive (Amendment) 2006 of the agency's waste protocols programme.

Ben Bradshaw: The European Commission has been kept informed of the work undertaken by the Environment Agency (EA) and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to develop an end of waste protocol for compost.
	Officials from DEFRA and the EA attended a recent seminar by the Commission's Joint Research Centre in Seville to discuss Commission-funded research into a methodology for developing end of waste criteria at EU level.
	The EA is a member of the DEFRA project board which is steering the UK input to the negotiations on the proposed revisions to the Waste Framework Directive, under which the Commission has proposed a mechanism to set end of waste criteria for the EU. These negotiations are still in progress. The EA's experience in developing end of waste criteria for compost and other materials should help provide valuable input to future EU discussions.

Waste Management

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1641W to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman), on waste management, whether a local authority can unilaterally leave a joint waste authority of its own accord once it has voluntarily decided to join one.

Ben Bradshaw: No. As stated in my previous answer of 5 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1641W to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) the Secretary of State will only be able to dissolve a joint waste authority in two situations: (i) if he/she receives a request to do so from all the appropriate local authorities; (ii) if he/she considers it necessary.
	Other models of partnership working are available for those authorities that do not wish their partnership to be placed on a statutory footing.

Whaling

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which foreign governments were represented at the recent meeting hosted by Japan to encourage more countries to support their position in the International Whaling Commission; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: All 72 members of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) were invited to a recent meeting in Tokyo, known as the 'Normalization' meeting, organised by the Government of Japan. As far as my Department is aware, the following Governments attended the meeting:
	Antigua and Barbuda
	Cambodia
	Cameroon
	People's Republic of China
	Cote D'Ivoire
	Denmark
	Dominica
	Gabon
	The Gambia
	Grenada
	Guatemala
	Republic of Guinea
	Iceland
	Japan
	Kiribati
	Republic of Korea,
	Mali
	Republic of Marshall Islands
	Mauritania
	Mongolia
	Nauru
	Norway
	Oman
	Republic of Palau
	Russian Federation
	Senegal
	St. Kitts and Nevis
	St. Lucia
	St. Vincent and The Grenadines
	South Africa
	Surinam
	Switzerland
	Togo
	Tuvalu.
	The UK, along with 26 other anti-whaling countries, respectfully declined the invitation. While we are grateful to the Japanese Government for trying to further discussions on issues of division in the IWC, we believe this initiative serves to further polarise and distract its members from the important conservation work that the IWC undertakes. Furthermore, the IWC is the only body mandated to discuss, at plenipotentiary level, issues relating to the conservation and management of whales. The UK therefore considers that the IWC is the only recognised forum in which to hold intergovernmental discussions on whaling.

PRIME MINISTER

Departments: EC Action

John Hayes: To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a list of attendees, with their affiliations, of public events hosted at 10 Downing street in the last two years on European Community matters.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 11 October 2006,  Official Report, column 788W.

Departments: Silverfish Productions

David Jones: To ask the Prime Minister what contracts his office awarded to Silverfish Productions Limited in each of the last three years; and what the cost was of those contracts.

Tony Blair: As part of World Aids Day 2005, Silverfish Productions Limited produced a video about HIV/AIDS in Malawi, at a cost of £869.

Honours

Harry Cohen: To ask the Prime Minister why the reason for the removal of an honour from an individual is not routinely included with the notice of forfeiture placed in the  London Gazette; if he will make it his policy that such reasons be so included; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: The Sovereign may, on the advice of Ministers, cancel an award if the holder is considered unworthy to retain it. It would be unnecessary to repeat this in the  London Gazette on every occasion of forfeiture.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Deployment

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidelines govern the advance notice to be given of a battalion's flight dates prior to deployment on operations overseas; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: It is established practice that we give all our soldiers the maximum flight notice possible. Battalions are normally notified of the departure date between 10 and 30 days in advance and actual flight timings are notified at least 10 days in advance.
	There may be occasions where unavoidable factors, either operational or aircraft related, result in further changes to the day or time of a flight. In all cases, battalions are contacted as soon as changes appear likely.

Armed Forces: Training

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 26 February 2006,  Official Report, column 626, on training, what steps he is taking to address consequences for the training of troops of the operational tempo.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence constantly assesses the impact of operational pressures on the force structure and adjusts programmes accordingly. To accommodate the training for current levels of operational deployment, the focus of training across defence, particularly in the land and air environments, has shifted towards training for specific operations rather than for general contingencies. Training for general contingencies continues, however, to form a significant part of Commander Joint Operations' exercise programme, which ensures that the knowledge and experience required to command and control such operations is maintained over time.

Armed Forces: Working Conditions

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to how many days rest and recuperation a soldier serving on operations is entitled after  (a) four,  (b) six,  (c) 10 and  (d) 12 months active duty is entitled.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 27 March 2007
	Rest and Recuperation (R and R) is not leave and is to be taken at a time, location and duration specified by the operational commander. R and R may only be granted to individuals or units on periods of continuous operations in excess of four months. The maximum permissible period for each instance of R and R is 14 nights inclusive of travelling time. The number of permissible periods of R and R is dependent upon expected tour length and is subject to the following restrictions:
	Over four months (120 days) but less than seven months (210 days)—one period of R and R.
	Over seven months but less than 11 months (330 days)—two periods of R and R.
	Over 11 months—three periods of R and R.

Army: Publications

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the summer 2006 report of the Chief of the General Staff's briefing team.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 5 March 2007
	 A copy of the Chief of the General Staffs briefing team summer 2006 report will be made available in the Library of the House.

Merlin Helicopters

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Merlin Mark 1 helicopters are  (a) in service,  (b) under repair and  (c) being cannibalised; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1437W.

Military Aircraft: Procurement

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Britten Norman Defender 4S AL Mk1 aircraft have been procured; and how many of these have been delivered to Iraq for use by the Army.

Adam Ingram: Four Britten Norman Defender AL Mk1s have now been procured and delivered for use by UK Joint Forces.
	All four aircraft have now served in Iraq. To allow for scheduled maintenance, modification/upgrade programmes and/or training requirements only two of the aircraft may have been operational at any one time.

Military Aircraft: Procurement

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the acquisition cost was at 2006 values of the Britten Norman Defender 4S AL2 Mk1 aircraft procured by the army; and what the estimated hourly running cost is of these aircraft.

Adam Ingram: The acquisition cost of a Britten Norman Defender AL Mk1, based on the Economic Conditions of mid 2006, was in the order of £4.5 million.
	The estimated hourly running cost during 2006 is £1,500 per hour.

Military Fatalities: Iraq and Afghanistan

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many fatalities were sustained by UK armed forces resulting from improvised explosive devices attack on  (a) USA RG31 vehicles and  (b) Canadian RG31 Nyala vehicles in (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan in each of the last two years.

Adam Ingram: There have been no fatalities sustained by the UK armed forces in USA RG31 vehicles or Canadian RG31 Nyala vehicles during the last two years, in Iraq or Afghanistan, as a result of improvised explosive devices.

Tucanos

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which versions of the Tucano are operated by the Royal Air Force; what the acquisition cost was of each aircraft; and what the average total operating cost is per hour of Tucanos operated by the Royal Air Force.

Adam Ingram: The version of the Tucano operated by the RAF is the T Mark 1 for which the full acquisition cost for each aircraft was just over £l million. The total cost per funded flying hour for the Tucano T Mark 1 is £5,411.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the acquisition costs were of  (a) the unmanned aerial vehicles deployed by the UK in Afghanistan and  (b) the coalition unmanned aerial vehicles to which the UK has operational access in Iraq.

Adam Ingram: The acquisition costs of the Desert Hawk mini unmanned aerial vehicles deployed by the UK to Afghanistan were around £1.8 million. We do not comment on the costs of equipment acquired by coalition partners such as the unmanned aerial vehicles to which we have access in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Zimbabwe: British Nationality

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contingency plans his Department has put in place to evacuate British citizens in the event of a crisis in Zimbabwe.

Des Browne: With the FCO, the Ministry of Defence conducts periodic reviews of contingency plans that provide support to the FCO for Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations of British citizens from a range of countries, including Zimbabwe. Should the situation in Zimbabwe deteriorate to the extent that the FCO decides to evacuate British citizens, the MOD would provide assistance to the FCO if requested.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Departments: Paper

Lynne Jones: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what mechanisms are in place to ensure her Department's economical use of paper.

Vera Baird: My Department has set in place a contract that provides recycled paper for printing and copying. In addition to this our HQ has piloted a successful paper recycling scheme. Best practice from this pilot is being used to assist development of the Department's waste strategy and action plan.

Departments: Public Appointments

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will list the former hon. Members who left Parliament in 2005 who have since been appointed to public bodies by her Department, broken down by party; and who was responsible for making each appointment.

Vera Baird: Information about the political activity of appointees is recorded and publicised in accordance with the independent Commissioner for Public Appointments' Code of Practice. These show that no former hon. Members who left Parliament in 2005 have since been appointed to public bodies sponsored by the Department.

Sir Hayden Phillips: Pay

John Spellar: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how, and at what rate, Sir Hayden Phillips was remunerated for undertaking the inquiry into the funding of political parties; and how much he has been paid to date for that work.

Bridget Prentice: Sir Hayden Phillips was appointed by the Prime Minister to conduct a review of the funding of political parties in March 2006.
	Sir Hayden Phillips' gross rate of pay for conducting the review was £700 per day, paid through the DCA. The total amount that he has been paid to date (up to the end of February 2007) has been £40,100 gross.

Politics and Government: South West Region

Andrew George: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs 
	(1)  what distinct constitutional status applies to  (a) Cornwall,  (b) the Isles of Scilly,  (c) the Cornish people,  (d) the Duchy of Cornwall,  (e) the Council of the Isles of Scilly,  (f) Cornish stannary organisations and  (g) any other Cornish or Duchy based institution which does not apply to England;
	(2)  what  (a) treaties,  (b) Acts of Parliament,  (c) regulations and  (d) statutory instruments provide distinct status to (i) Cornwall and (ii) the Isles of Scilly which does not apply to England.

Bridget Prentice: The Government addressed the question about the constitutional status of Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly, and the Duchy of Cornwall on 6 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1892W. The position of the Council of Isles of Scilly is recognised in UK legislation where it applies to the Isles. On the question about stannary organisations, there are no valid Cornish stannary organisations in existence. It is noted that stannary courts were abolished under the Stannaries Court (Abolition) Act 1896.
	Cornwall has always been an integral part of the Union. There are no treaties today that apply to Cornwall only. With the exception of geographically limited matters such as Private Acts of Parliament for infrastructure works, Acts of Parliament, regulations and statutory instruments apply in Cornwall as they do throughout England, but do not always apply to the Isles of Scilly. There is no special status for legislation which applies to Cornwall or to Cornish localities.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Animal Welfare: Finance

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which animal welfare organisations benefited from National Lottery funding in each of the last five years; and how much each received.

Richard Caborn: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost as animal welfare organisations are not a separate category on the Department's Lottery Grants Database.
	The Big Lottery Fund does not support animal welfare groups, but it does support some charities involving animals.
	The Heritage Lottery Fund's (HLF) key focus for funding animals is through the conservation of priority UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP) species and priority UKBAP habitats. As HLF is concerned with the conservation and recovery of the UK's most endangered animals and not the general wellbeing and welfare of animals, HLF has not funded, as far as we are aware, any animal welfare organisations.
	Details of individual Lottery awards appear on the Department's Lottery Grants Database, which uses information supplied by the Lottery distributors and can be searched at www.lottery.culture.gov.uk

Consultation Papers

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 21 March 2007,  Official Report, columns 903-4W, on consultation papers, what fee she expects to be paid to the Work Foundation for the creative economy project.

Shaun Woodward: The agreed cost of the Department's contract with the Work Foundation for their contribution to the creative economy programme is for a sum not exceeding £84,000 (excluding VAT). The terms of the contract will be reviewed in the light of the actual demands of the programme.

Departments: Conferences

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which industry summits her Department has  (a) hosted and  (b) co-hosted with other Government Departments in each of the last five years; what policy initiative each summit was associated with; and what the cost of each such summit was.

Shaun Woodward: The Department has an ongoing programme of meetings with industry representatives from across all of its sectors. A relatively small proportion of which have been specifically termed Industry summits'. The most recent examples of these are the events being held to inform the Creative Economy programme and those which were held on ticket touting issues. In these cases, the costs incurred (in addition to those for internal administration) are as set out in the table.
	An analysis of all of the industry summit' events held over the last five years, the policy initiative each was associated with, and the cost of each, could only be provided at disproportionate expense.
	
		
			  Event  Programme  Date  Cost (£) 
			 icket touting Ticket touting 20 April 2006 0.00 
			 Access to finance Creative Economy programme 25 April 2006 0.00 
			 Competition and IP Creative Economy programme 24 May 2006 531.69 
			 Technology Creative Economy programme 12 June 2006 0.00 
			 Diversity Creative Economy programme 29 June 2006 408.00 
			 Infrastructure Creative Economy programme 6 July 2006 0.00 
			 Ticket touting Ticket touting 17 July 2006 0.00 
			 Education and Skills Creative Economy programme 19 July 2006 376.00 
			 Music Creative Economy programme 13 June 2006 3500.00 
			 Computer games Creative Economy programme 18 July 2006 2300.00 
			 Publishing Creative Economy programme 4 September 2006 400.00 
			 Ticket touting Ticket touting 8 February 2007 0.00 
			 Broadcasting Creative Economy programme 7 March 2007 0.00 
			 Film Creative Economy programme 12 March 2007 271.58 
			 Architecture Creative Economy programme 14 March 2007 406.50 
			 Music Creative Economy programme 19 March 2007 0.00 
			 Publishing Creative Economy programme 20 March 0.00 
			 Software Creative Economy programme 21 March 2007 0.00 
			 Computer games Creative Economy programme 21 March 2007 0.00 
			 Design Creative Economy programme 22 March 2007 68.80

Film

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 21 March 2007,  Official Report, columns 904-5W, on film, what the budgets are for the summits on  (a) software,  (b) games,  (c) design,  (d) performing arts,  (e) advertising and  (f) fashion.

Shaun Woodward: In addition to internal administrative costs, an overall budget of £1,000 has been allocated to cover the incidental costs of the current round of 12 industry summits being held to inform the creative economy programme. Support for these events also forms part of the Department's contract with the Work Foundation.
	Summits have been held on broadcasting, film, architecture, music, publishing, software, computer games and design. Further summits are planned on advertising, fashion, the performing arts and arts, antiques and crafts.

Gaming Clubs: Energy Consumption

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the small, large and regional casinos recommended to her by the Casino Advisory Panel will be required to use energy saving light bulbs in and around their premises.

Richard Caborn: Any new casino development will be required to comply with relevant planning and building requirements, including relevant requirements designed to protect the environment and promote energy saving.

Hotels: Taxation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which organisations have made written representations to her Department on taxation on hotel accommodation in the last 12 months.

Shaun Woodward: DCMS has received 57 written representations on this subject since 1 March 2006. These include four submissions to the Department's Welcome>Legacy consultation which raised the matter of an accommodation tax. A significant number of proforma letters, written as part of the Caterer and Hotelkeeper's campaign against an accommodation tax, were sent to the Prime Minister and forwarded to the Department.
	These representations were received from tourism and hospitality trade associations, individual businesses, local authorities, representatives of attraction businesses, Members of Parliament and public and private sector partnership organisations.
	Since the publication of Sir Michael Lyons' report on 21 March, the Government have stated there is no intention to introduce a local bed tax.

Internet

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  when she expects a new text-based labelling system for internet sites to be introduced;
	(2)  what studies have been commissioned by her Department on the  (a) feasibility and  (b) cost of introducing a text-based labelling system for internet sites.

Shaun Woodward: The Department has not commissioned any studies. The independent regulator Ofcom has a duty for media literacy in the Communications Act 2003. In pursuit of the duty Ofcom have been developing proposals for a common labelling framework.
	I have asked the Chief Executive of Ofcom to write with more details. Copies of the Chief Executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Licensed Premises: Safety Measures

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received on the use of plastic glasses in licensed premises.

Vernon Coaker: I have been asked to reply.
	Other than previous debates in the House and representations made by individual MPs on behalf of their constituents, no specific representations have been made by the drinks industry or other stakeholders on the use of plastic in licensed premises. The Licensing Act 2003 already provides for the police to apply for licence reviews and for conditions to be attached to licences. For example, that the licensed premises should use toughened drinks glasses and bottles. The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 will in due course also provide a new fast track alcohol licence review process that could lead to such conditions being applied in cases of serious crime and disorder. We are also committed to reviewing the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England that was published in March 2004, later this year.

Licensing Laws

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many licencees have had their licences revoked since the Licensing Act 2003 came into force;
	(2)  how many licences have been  (a) challenged and  (b) placed under review due to the selling of alcohol to minors.

Shaun Woodward: We do not hold this information. However, extrapolating from data collected by the Department in November 2006 from a small sample of licensing authorities, we broadly estimate there were around 600 completed licence reviews in the first year of the new regime which resulted in approximately 100 licences being revoked. Sales or attempted sales to persons under 18 would have been a factor in a number of those cases.

Public Libraries

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the percentage of the population that used a public library in each of the last five years.

David Lammy: The information necessary to estimate the percentage of population using public libraries in England across the whole period sought by my hon. Friend is not held centrally.
	The DCMS 'Taking Part' cultural participation survey shows that 48.2 per cent. of all adults in this country visited at least one library during 2005-06. However, this was the survey's first reporting year so we do not have comparable information for previous years. Neither does this figure include library usage by children and young people under 16.
	The Public Library Statistics, published annually by the Chartered Institute of Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) show that the following percentages of people in England borrowed at least one item from a public library ("active borrowers") in the period 2001-02 to 2005-06:
	
		
			   Active borrowers as a percentage of total population 
			 2001-02 27.6 
			 2002-03 26.2 
			 2003-04 24.8 
			 2004-05 23.0 
			 2005-06 22.2 
		
	
	The table, although focused on individual users, only reflects the number of people that used the library to borrow an item including books, DVDs and CDs. It does not take account of those people who used a library for other purposes such as reading a book or newspaper on the library premises, attending a reading or learning group or accessing information (whether in paper or online form). Increasingly, public libraries are becoming wider community resources that offer an increasing range of services.
	The following table, shows the average number of visits to libraries in England per head of resident population in England as well the total number of visits overall.
	
		
			   Average number of visits to libraries in England per head of resident population  Visits overall (000) 
			 2001-02 5.5:1 270,775 
			 2002-03 5.5:1 274,053 
			 2003-04 5.7:1 285,365 
			 2004-05 5.8:1 288,382 
			 2005-06 5.8:1 290,979

Tickets: Touting

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with industry on the illegal selling of tickets to events.

Shaun Woodward: The Department has hosted four separate meetings with key stakeholders from the ticketed events' industry over the last year to discuss the problems associated with ticket resale, to identify solutions to those problems and work continues. Only the resale of tickets for designated football matches, the resale of tickets for the London 2012 Games and the trading of tickets on the street without a licence are illegal.
	Illegal activity is a matter for enforcement agencies to take appropriate action.

Tourism: Hartlepool

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the potential effects on the  (a) Hartlepool economy and  (b) Hartlepool tourist and culture sector of the 2010 Tall Ships event.

Shaun Woodward: This Department has made no such assessments. However, the national marketing organisation, VisitBritain, has worked with previous Tall Ships venues in the past (such as Newcastle Gateshead in 2005) to promote the event and will offer its support to Tall Ships Hartlepool 2010.

Tourism: Hartlepool

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what grants facilities in Hartlepool will be able to apply for in connection with the 2010 Tall Ships event.

Shaun Woodward: This Department provides no such grants. However, the national marketing organisation, VisitBritain, will work with organisers to promote the event and One NorthEast, the regional development agency for the North East of England, will consider applications for support.

Tourism: North East Region

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tourists visited  (a) Hartlepool constituency,  (b) Tees Valley sub-region and  (c) the North East region in each of the last five years.

Shaun Woodward: The following tables show the number of visits to the North East from (i) UK residents (with an overnight stay) and (ii) overseas residents, for the latest years for which data are available. Data for Tees Valley are only available for inbound visits and no information is available at a constituency level.
	
		
			  Domestic overnight visits( 1) 
			  Thousand 
			   2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 North East 4,300 4,800 4,800 3,800 4,640 
			 (1 )The methodology for the UKTS changed in 2005 meaning that comparisons with previous years should be treated with caution. This change occurred as a result of concerns with the quality of 2004 data, which are thought to be an under-representation of the true position.  Source: UK Tourism Survey (National Tourist Boards) 
		
	
	
		
			  Inbound visits 
			  Thousand 
			   2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Tees Valley 45 47 69 50 52 
			 North East 440 529 505 539 590 
			  Source: International Passenger Survey (ONS) 
		
	
	In addition, account should be taken of the number of day visits made to, or within, the North East. The Leisure Day Visits Survey in 2002-03 recorded a total of around 30 million tourism day visits to destinations in the North East. It is not possible to provide a time series for this information as the surveys are run intermittently.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Children: Conferences

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which conferences targeted at schoolchildren were funded by the EU in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Bill Rammell: I am not aware of any conferences in the UK targeted at schoolchildren that have received funding from the EU.

Connexions

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was spent on the Connexions service in each year since it was established; and how many people received advice from the service in each of those years.

Parmjit Dhanda: Connexions was introduced in a staged way from April 2001. The following table provides information on the budgets and numbers of interventions with young people for each year since the service's inception. The intervention data are included as information on the number of people receiving advice is not collected.
	
		
			   Connexions budget (£ million)  Careers Service budget (£ million)  Interventions 
			 2001-02 151 173 1,257,437 
			 2002-03 378 52 3,090,000 
			 2003-04 455 — 3,656,000 
			 2004-05 470 — 3,908,000 
			 2005-06 475 — 4,264,000 
			 2006-07 476 — (1)— 
			 (1) Not yet available  Notes: 1. The above figures reflect the staged way in which Connexions was introduced. 2. Young people also receive support from Connexions through group activities and events and from Connexions Direct, none of which are included in the above intervention figures. There are over 130,000 visits per week to the Connexions Direct website, with around 6,000 contacts per week to the helpline.

Departments: Paper

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what mechanisms are in place to ensure his Department's economical use of paper.

Parmjit Dhanda: An environmental housekeeping policy, published on the Department's internal website, promotes economical use of paper through advice to reduce printing to essential only, printing double sided documents, using the phone or email to contact people and circulating papers instead of sending out copies.
	DFES is currently implementing electronic management of records storage and on-line delivery of services which will transform the way our services are managed and delivered by helping to reduce the need for hardcopy paper production and handling.
	The programme of upgrading to printers and multifunctional devices that allow double sided printing is in progress as part of planned improvements to flexible working arrangements in our Headquarters offices.
	The Department has implemented a sustainable operations management system to help it meet sustainable development in Government targets. The system contains a strategic site-specific action plan on waste reduction and management for each of its headquarters offices.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many young people have been in receipt of education maintenance allowance (EMA) in each London local authority since its introduction; and how many were in receipt of EMA in 2005-06.

Phil Hope: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council, who operate the education maintenance allowance (EMA) for the DfES and hold the information about take-up and payments made under the scheme. Mark Haysom, the Council's Chief Executive, has written to my hon. Friend with the information requested and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.
	 Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 28 March 2007:
	I am writing in response to your recent Parliamentary Question that asked; "How many young people have been in receipt of educational maintenance allowance (EMA) in each London local authority since its introduction; and how many were in receipt of an EMA in 2005-06."
	EMA take-up is defined as young people who have received one or more EMA payments in the academic year.
	National EMA was phased in over time to successive 16 year old age groups. 2004/05 was the first year of National EMA and therefore we can only give data for 16 year olds in that year.
	The attached tables show EMA take-up data for each London Local Authority area during each academic year since the scheme's inception.
	I hope you find this information useful.
	
		
			Scheme take-up 
			  Area type  Area name  2004/05  2005/06  2006/07 to end February 2007 
			 National England 297,259 429,627 503,741 
			 Region London 50,896 70,480 79,303 
			 LSC London, Central 11,171 14,043 1,528 
			 LA Camden 1,550 1,749 1,886 
			 LA Islington 1,682 1,976 2,090 
			 LA Kensington and Chelsea 325 691 849 
			 LA Lambeth 2,791 3,406 3,666 
			 LA Southwark 2,647 3,138 3,469 
			 LA Wandsworth 1,607 1,948 2,103 
			 LA Westminster 569 1,135 1,465 
			 LSC London, East 18,871 24,229 26,335 
			 LA City of London 18 64 70 
			 LA Greenwich 2,161 2,479 2,672 
			 LA Hackney 2,841 3,262 3,444 
			 LA Lewisham 2,575 2,945 3,201 
			 LA Tower Hamlets 3,265 3,626 3,748 
			 LA Barking and Dagenham 1,408 1,917 2,196 
			 LA Bexley 834 1,552 1,826 
			 LA Havering 821 1,498 1,641 
			 LA Newham 3,774 4,601 4,823 
			 LA Redbridge 1,174 2,285 2,714 
			 LSC London, North 7,292 10,622 12,192 
			 LA Barnet 1,044 2,198 2,667 
			 LA Enfield 1,337 2,639 3,338 
			 LA Haringey 2,508 2,984 3,243 
			 LA Waltham Forest 2,403 2,801 2,944 
			 LSC London, South 4,253 8,332 10,235 
			 LA Bromley 936 1,698 1,983 
			 LA Croydon 1,375 2,874 3,646 
			 LA Kingston-Upon-Thames 370 706 867 
			 LA Merton 613 1,261 1,617 
			 LA Richmond-Upon-Thames 359 683 790 
			 LA Sutton 600 1,110 1,332 
			 LSC London, West 9,309 13,254 15,013 
			 LA Hammersmith and Fulham 1,247 1,429 1,524 
			 LA Brent 2,744 3,349 3,577 
			 LA Ealing 2,682 3,158 3,273 
			 LA Harrow 849 1,785 2,213 
			 LA Hillingdon 883 1,695 2,123 
			 LA Hounslow 904 1,838 2,303

English: Teaching Methods

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his answer of 15 January 2007,  Official Report, columns 800-1W, on English language teaching, 
	(1)  if he will assess the merits of using the skills and materials available in the learning English section of the BBC World Service to maintain the accessibility of online/distance learning English for Speakers of Other Languages courses; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he expects to reply to Question 120255, on the BBC World Service and English language teaching, tabled by the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South on 6 February.

Phil Hope: There are a wide variety of materials and resources to support the learning of English and we would encourage those that are effective and of high quality.
	The Skills for Life Strategy has implemented national standards for adult literacy and numeracy and all provision eligible for funding as basic skills has to be mapped to these. The standards are reinforced and supported by national core curricula for literacy, numeracy, ESOL and ICT which provide a context within the learning environment. Learners wishing to improve their English skills should follow approved courses based on the Skills for Life national standards and curriculum and which lead to nationally recognised qualifications.
	We recognise the value and potential of delivering English language online and via distance learning and we are currently investigating this area.

Mathematics: Secondary Education

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of mathematics lessons in mainstream maintained secondary schools is observed by Ofsted, broken down by school year group.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the House Library.
	 Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 28 March, 2007:
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for reply.
	You asked what proportion of mathematics lessons in mainstream maintained secondary schools is observed by Ofsted, broken down by separate school year group.
	The number of mathematics lessons that take place in schools nationally is unknown and therefore the proportion observed by Ofsted cannot be calculated. I am able to report that one in seven lessons observed by inspectors in mainstream secondary schools in 2005/06 was a mathematics lesson. The details are broken down by year group in the table beneath.
	
		
			  Proportion of lessons observed in maintained secondary schools which were mathematics lessons 
			  Year group  Percentage 
			 7 14 
			 8 15 
			 9 14 
			 10 14 
			 11 15 
			 12 8 
			 13 9 
			 All 14 
		
	
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Schools, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Nurseries: Qualifications

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the viability of playgroups in circumstances where staff of those groups are found by Ofsted to have insufficient qualifications.

Beverley Hughes: Ofsted regulates to the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding and makes a judgment about whether all managers, staff and volunteers have the appropriate experience skills and ability to do their jobs. National Standards 1 and 2 of the sessional care standards sets the qualification requirements for playgroups. Where providers do not currently meet these requirements Ofsted will normally accept an action plan showing how they intend to fulfil them and over what timescale, and monitor progress at the next inspection.

Public Sector Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what the cash equivalent transfer value is of the public sector pensions of the 10 highest paid members of staff in his Department and its executive agencies; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he will answer Question 113816, on public sector pensions, tabled on 5 January 2007 by the hon. Member for Yeovil.

Parmjit Dhanda: The cash equivalent transfer value (CETV) of the pensions of the 10 highest paid departmental employees at 31 March 2006 was £4,340,480.00. This includes the CETV of the members of the senior management team named in the Department's remuneration report, which is published annually and which is in the public domain. The Department has no executive agencies.

Special Educational Needs

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what recent representations he has received on the availability of textbooks for blind, partially sighted and dyslexic children in accessible formats; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the availability of textbooks in formats accessible to blind, partially sighted and dyslexic children;
	(3)  what steps he will take to improve blind, partially sighted and dyslexic children's access to books in accessible formats in the next two years.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department regularly discusses the provision it makes for children with special educational needs and disabilities through the SEN and disability frameworks with key stakeholders both in the voluntary sector and across Government, including support for visually impaired and dyslexic children. A central record is not kept of the approaches made to the Department on individual issues.
	We continue to invest significant resources to support the education of children with SEN and disabilities—some £4.5 billion in 2006/07. It is for schools and local authorities to plan to improve access to the curriculum and written materials for disabled pupils over time and the Disability Equality Duty requires schools them to promote disability equality.
	To assist the provision of materials in accessible alternative formats for blind, partially sighted and dyslexic children specifically, the Government supported the Copyright (Visually Impaired Persons) Act 2002 which reduces delays in gaining copyright clearance to produce books and other printed materials in formats accessible to visually impaired people. The Department of Trade and Industry is also working on a feasibility study to look at opportunities for publishers to provide education material in accessible formats more quickly and this Department is involved in the process.

Vocational Training

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many hours of training on average were undertaken by participants in the Train to Gain programme;
	(2)  what percentage of participants in the Train to Gain programme received no training as a result of first stage assessment;
	(3)  what percentage of participants in the Train to Gain programme have received training of more than  (a) 60 hours,  (b) 70 hours and  (c) 100 hours;
	(4)  what percentage of the Train to Gain programme budget has been spent on  (a) training,  (b) accreditation and  (c) skills brokers.

Bill Rammell: Train to Gain is an ongoing service and as such performance is updated on a regular basis. Detailed operational information is not held centrally by the Department but is collected by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Mark Haysom the LSC chief executive has written to the hon. Member and a copy of his replies has been placed in the House Library.
	 Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 28 March 2007:
	I am writing in response to your recent parliamentary question about the number of hours Train to Gain learners take to achieve qualifications.
	As the majority of learners take more than 6 months to achieve a qualification, there is currently only a small amount of data available to use in responding to this question.
	However, analysis of nearly 10,000 learners starting in the period April-July 2006 who have now completed their training shows the average number of hours to be about 33 hours.
	I hope this response is helpful to you.
	 Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 12 March 2007:
	I am writing in response to your recent parliamentary question about what percentage of participants in the Train to Gain programme budget is spent on (a) training (b) accreditation and (c) skills brokers.
	The Learning & Skills Council is not clear what is meant by the terms 'training' and 'accreditation' as used in this question. However, the following details of 2006/07 budget expenditure may answer the question:
	Provision i.e. paid to providers to train employees to achieve a qualification. = 68% of budget.
	Skills Brokerage including broker training and accreditation to new national standards in business advice = 11% of budget.
	I hope this response is helpful to you.
	 Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 12 March 2007:
	I write in response to your Parliamentary question asking what percentage of participants in the Train to Gain programme have received training of more than (a) 60 hours (b) 70 hours and (c) 100 hours.
	Train to Gain has been available nationally since August 2006. The use of the term 'training' in the question is unclear as it could cover a wide range of activities. LSC collects data on the number of hours learners spend on training programmes working towards qualifications. As the majority of learners take more than 6 months to achieve a qualification, there is currently only a small amount of data available to use in responding to this question. Based on 7,103 records to date, the breakdown is:
	(a) 60-70 hours = 4%
	(b) 70-100 hours = 10%
	(c) 100 hours + = 1%
	 Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 12 March 2007:
	I write in response to your Parliamentary question asking what percentage of participants in the Train to Gain programme received no training as a result of first stage assessment.
	The Learning & Skills Council is unable to respond to this question without clarification as the term 'first stage assessment' is not recognised. It is also unclear whether the term 'participants' refers to employers or employees.
	If you can clarify this point, we would be happy to respond.

Written Questions

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, when he expects to answer Question 110609, on young people in London, tabled by the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green on 18 January.

Parmjit Dhanda: The hon. Member's question will be responded to by the Department for Work and Pensions. The question was transferred on 26 January.

Young People: EC Action

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps the UK is taking under the EU Youth in Action programme (EU budget code 15 01 04 55); and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The EU Youth in Action Programme started on 1 January 2007 and will run until 31 December 2013. I have appointed Connect Youth, part of the British Council, to manage the programme in the UK and to maximise the take up by eligible young people in this country.

Youth Opportunities

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the degree to which the Youth Opportunity and Youth Capital funds are reaching the disadvantaged young people in Greater Manchester following submission by local authorities of reports to the Government Office in the North West.

Parmjit Dhanda: Local authorities are required to report to Government offices on delivery of the Youth Opportunity and Youth Capital Funds on a six monthly basis. The first six monthly reports received at the end of October 2006 provided evidence predominantly on set up of the funds in each area. As a result, levels of participation by disadvantaged young people in the funds are not identifiable. The second reports due at the end of April 2007 will include full management information on participation, and will provide information on how the funds are reaching disadvantaged young people in each local authority.

TRANSPORT

A21: Compulsory Purchase

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Highways Agency plans to issue compulsory purchase orders along the A21 between Flimwell and Robertsbridge.

Stephen Ladyman: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 1 February 2007,  Official Report, column 425W.

Aerodrome Charges

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to consult on how to determine the interests of persons who live in the area in which an aerodrome is situated in determining the use of his powers under the Civil Aviation Act 1982 to fix charges.

Gillian Merron: Section 1 of the Civil Aviation Act 2006 inserts a new section 38 into the Civil Aviation Act 1982. Subsection 5 of this section requires that where the Secretary of State is considering whether to exercise his power, conferred by subsection 4, to direct an airport operator to fix its charges by reference to aircraft noise or emissions, he must
	"have regard (among other things) to the interests of persons who live in the area in which the aerodrome is situated".
	We do not plan to consult on a general process for determining those interests. Rather, we recognise that the interests will depend on specific local circumstances. If the Secretary of State were to consider the use of section 38(4) in a specific case, we would expect a public consultation giving local authorities, amenity groups, the airport's Consultative Committee, other local interest groups and individuals an opportunity to make their views clear. Decisions following consultation would depend on the merits of the case.

Aircraft

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the aircraft for the use of the Prime Minister will be ready to enter service; and what the estimated whole life cost of such aircraft is estimated to be.

Gillian Merron: The Department for Transport plans to introduce the new air travel service as early as possible, consistent with best procurement practice and the need to deliver value for money and appropriate levels of safety, security and reliability. The timetable for delivery will depend upon the contractual arrangements and the lead-in times needed by suppliers to meet the new requirement.
	Sir Peter Gershon's "Independent Air Travel Review" estimated that the new service would cost between £104 million and £107 million in net present value terms over a ten year period. This compares with a cost of £98 million over the same period of continuing with the existing arrangements. Sir Peter Gershon's Review calculated that such an arrangement would add no further burden to the public purse.

British Transport Police: Community Support Officers

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many British Transport Police community support officers were based in  (a) Eastbourne and  (b) East Sussex in each of the last five years, broken down by location of post.

Tom Harris: This information is not held by the Department for Transport but by the British Transport Police who can be contacted at: British Transport Police, 25 Camden Road, London NW1 9LN, e-mail: general.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk.

Bus Services: Grants

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was paid to bus operators through the Bus Service Operators Grant in each year since the grant was introduced.

Gillian Merron: Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) was introduced under the Transport Act 2000. It replaced the Fuel Duty Rebate scheme which had been in place since 1965.
	The amount of BSOG paid by the Department to operators of local bus and community transport services since 2000 is as follows:
	
		
			   £ million (cash prices) 
			 2000-01 301 
			 2001-02 304 
			 2002-03 317 
			 2003-04 341 
			 2004-05 359 
			 2005-06 369 
			 2006-07 (1)380 
			 (1) Estimated.

Cycleways

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on cycling facilities in local authority areas  (a) in London and  (b) in England outside London in each year since 2000-01; what his expectations are for future spending; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Harris: The Department provides a central budget for cycling programmes and initiatives. Since 2005-06 this has been the responsibility of Cycling England and investment in cycle facilities is as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2002-03 2.2 
			 2003-04 2.2 
			 2004-05 10.5 
			 2005-06 3.2 
			 2006-07 6.0 
		
	
	In 2000-01 and 2001-02 the budget was revenue spend on promotion of cycling.
	The majority of expenditure on cycling is committed by local highway authorities who receive funding from the Department through the Local Transport Plan settlement and it is for them to determine their priorities. English authorities outside London have informed the Department that their investment in cycle facilities for each year is as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2001-02 29.6 
			 2002-03 39.9 
			 2003-04 32.1 
			 2004-05 40.0 
			 2005-06 34.1 
		
	
	London boroughs also receive funding from the Department via a block settlement through Transport for London (TfL) and with their other revenue streams TfL has informed the Department that their investment in cycling facilities for each year since 2001-02 is as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2001-02 12.5 
			 2002-03 11.6 
			 2003-04 12.7 
			 2004-05 13.1 
			 2005-06 18.3 
		
	
	The Department does not require local authorities to provide an estimate of future spend on cycling so no data are available for 2006-07 and 2007-08. TfL though have informed the Department that they forecast £24.1 million will be spent on cycle facilities in 2006-07 and £36.1 million in 2007-08. Cycling England forecast that their expenditure on cycle facilities in local authority areas in 2007-08 will be £3.8 million to be spent in the cycling demonstration towns and on 'Links to Schools'.

Departments: Advertising

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department spent on  (a) sponsoring newspaper and publication supplements and  (b) funding advertorials in newspapers and publications in the last year for which figures are available; and what the topic was of each.

Gillian Merron: The Department has not sponsored newspaper or publication supplements in fiscal year 2006-07. We have however purchased advertorial space to reinforce specific campaigns as follows:
	
		
			  Campaign  Cost (net)  (£) 
			 THINK! Road safety campaign: Mobiles phones 50,000 
			 THINK! Drink Drive 162,000 
			 THINK! Driving for Work 57,000 
			 Transport Direct 73,183 
			 VOSA Automatic Number Plate Recognition/Weigh in Motion Sensors 6,000 
			 DVLA Electronic Vehicle Licensing 2056.25 
			 DVLA Continuous Registration 3,300

Departments: Golden Arrow Communications

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent  (a) meetings and  (b) discussions Ministers in his Department have had with Golden Arrow Communications; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: Since 2005, Ministers have attended two events organised by Golden Arrow Communications.
	As part of the consultations on the Department's review of ports policy, the Minister of State accompanied by officials attended a lunch on 18 July 2006 to hear the views of ports and shipping interests.
	On 21 February 2007 both Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State attended a parliamentary reception at which one spoke about the Government's broad transport priorities.
	In addition Ministers have attended conferences, receptions and other such events not organised by Golden Arrow Communications but at which individuals employed by them may have been present. No record is kept of such encounters.

Departments: Golden Arrow Communications

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what meetings  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department have held with Golden Arrow Communications since 2005.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 26 March 2007
	Since 2005, Ministers and officials have attended several events organised by Golden Arrow Communications.
	An official gave an introductory address about the Department's review of ports policy at a seminar on 5 July 2006. As part of the consultations on that review, the Minister of State accompanied by officials attended a lunch on 18 July 2006 to hear the views of ports and shipping interests.
	On 21 February 2007 both Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State attended a parliamentary reception at which one spoke about the Government's broad transport priorities.
	In addition Ministers and officials have attended conferences, receptions and other such events not organised by Golden Arrow Communications but at which individuals employed by them may have been present. No record is kept of such encounters.

Departments: Public Appointments

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the former hon. Members who left Parliament in 2005 who have since been appointed to public bodies by his Department, broken down by party; and who was responsible for making each appointment.

Gillian Merron: Information about the political activity of appointees is recorded and publicised in accordance with the independent Commissioner for Public Appointments' Code of Practice. This shows that no former hon. Members who left Parliament in 2005 have since been appointed to public bodies sponsored by the Department.

Departments: Railways

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were employed by his Department with a responsibility for rail transport in each year since 2002.

Tom Harris: The Department for Transport was established in May 2002. The number of people employed with a specific responsibility for rail transport including Rail Accident Investigation Branch (operational from October 2005) and the transfer of the Strategic Rail Authority's responsibilities (from July 2005) for each year since 2002 were:
	
		
			   Rail directorates  Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB)  Total 
			 May 2002 70 — 70 
			 April 2002 72 — 72 
			 April 2004 84 4 88 
			 April 2005 90 36 126 
			 April 2006 219 45 264

Government Car and Despatch Agency: Manpower

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many drivers working for the Government Car and Despatch Agency in each of the last five years were  (a) male and  (b) female.

Stephen Ladyman: Drivers working for the Government Car and Despatch Agency in the last five years were as follows:
	
		
			   Male  Female  Total 
			 2006-07 213 12 225 
			 2005-06 208 10 218 
			 2004-05 198 8 206 
			 2003-04 210 10 220 
			 2002-03 211 12 223 
		
	
	The Government Car and Despatch Agency is responsible for providing a range of transport and mail distribution services to Government and the wider public sector.
	The Agency's Diversity Action Plan 2006-11, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House, includes a target to increase the number of women, disabled and black minority ethnic employees by 2011.

M42: Motorway Service Areas

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish correspondence between the Highways Agency and Shirley Estates on the proposed motorway service area at junction 4 of the M42.

Stephen Ladyman: Correspondence between the Highways Agency and Shirley Estates on the proposed motorway service area at junction 4 of the M42 is ongoing. As this correspondence refers to work in progress it is not appropriate to publish it at present. The conclusions reached as a result of this correspondence will be included in the Highways Agency's proof of evidence to be presented at the public inquiry and this document will be in the public domain at the appropriate time.

M42: Motorway Service Areas

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the correspondence between the Highways Agency, Birmingham International airport and Swayfields with regard to the proposed motorway service area between junction 5 and junction 6 of the M42.

Stephen Ladyman: Correspondence between the Highways Agency, Birmingham International airport and Swayfields on the proposed motorway service area between junction 5 and junction 6 of the M42 is ongoing. As this correspondence refers to work in progress it is not appropriate to publish it at present. The conclusions reached as a result of this correspondence will be included in the Highways Agency's proof of evidence to be presented at the public inquiry and this document will be in the public domain at the appropriate time.

M42: Motorway Service Areas

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of negotiations between the Highways Agency and Shirley Estates with regard to the proposed motorway service area at Junction 4 of the M42.

Stephen Ladyman: The Highways Agency is not negotiating with Shirley Estates with regard to the proposed motorway service area at Junction 4 of the M42. As part of the planning process the Highways Agency has a duty to cooperate and act reasonably in considering proposals coming forward. No conclusions on the acceptability of the proposals have been reached.

M42: Motorway Service Areas

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of negotiations between the Highways Agency, Birmingham International Airport and Swayfields on the proposed motorway service area between Junction 5 and Junction 6 of the M42.

Stephen Ladyman: The Highways Agency is not negotiating with Birmingham International Airport and Swayfields with regard to the proposed motorway service area between Junction 5 and Junction 6 of the M42. As part of the planning process the Highways Agency has a duty to cooperate and act reasonably in considering proposals coming forward. No conclusions on the acceptability of the proposals have been reached.
	The Highways Agency has been working with Birmingham International Airport Limited and the National Exhibition Centre on options for improving motorway access from the M42 to their developments. A Joint Statement produced by the Highways Agency, Birmingham International Airport Limited and the National Exhibition Centre regarding options for improving motorway access from the M42 was read out and given to the inspector at the pre-inquiry meeting on 19 March 2007.

Motor Vehicles: Registration

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how his Department monitors the registration and taxing of vehicles in their home non-EU or EEA countries when the vehicles have been in the United Kingdom for more than 12 months.

Stephen Ladyman: This Department does not monitor the registration and licensing status of non-EU or EEA vehicles that may be circulating in the United Kingdom.

Motor Vehicles: Testing

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he plans to change the required frequency of MOT tests for new vehicles.

Stephen Ladyman: We will be consulting shortly on options for the future conduct of the MOT scheme—and specifically about the frequency of testing—following a recommendation that we do so in the Davidson Review of the implementation of EU legislation. This consultation will include a full discussion of the potential advantages and disadvantages of making any change to test frequency.

Public Transport: Concessions

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of total central Government support for the English concessionary fares scheme  (a) was distributed for 2004-05 and  (b) is forecast to be distributed to (i) the Scottish Executive, (ii) Transport for London, (iii) the Welsh Assembly, (iv) the Council of the Isles of Scilly and (v) local authorities where there are no bus services in each of the next five years.

Gillian Merron: In 2004-05, as now, the funding for statutory concessionary fares in England was one of the services supported through formula grant, which comprises Revenue support grant, redistributed business rates and principal formula police grant. Formula grant is an unhypothecated block grant i.e. authorities are free to spend the money on any service. Because of the method of calculation, particularly floor damping (which guarantees local authorities at least a minimum percentage increase by scaling back increases for other authorities), it is not possible to say what has been given to each local authority for any particular service.
	Up to an extra £250 million per year will be provided for the national bus concession from April 2008 (this includes Barnett consequentials which will be paid on this in line with statement of funding policy). Eligible residents of the Isles of Scilly will be entitled to national bus concession, and so the Isles of Scilly will be receiving a share of the extra funding.
	The Department, in discussions with the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG's) and HM Treasury, is looking at a number of options for distributing the existing and future funding. The options will be discussed through DCLG's Settlement Working Group and, if appropriate, formally consulted upon during the summer.

Rail Franchises

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish  (a) the cost benefit analysis and  (b) the appraisal summary table taking account of the five objectives outlined in the New Approach to Appraisal prepared by his Department prior to the (i) award of the Greater Western franchise, (ii) award of the South Western Trains franchise and (iii) specification for the new Cross Country franchise.

Tom Harris: In respect of the Greater Western and South Western franchises, the Department for Transport determined the value for money case for the specification at the stage prior to issuing the Invitation to Tender (ITT) to bidders. This includes the preparation of cost-benefit analysis tables, and an assessment of the wider benefits. Therefore, the information does not exist in the form that has been requested at the award stage.
	The bids for the New Cross Country franchise have been submitted and are currently under evaluation. At the point of awarding the franchise, the Department will review whether the value proposed by the leading bidder to deliver the specification outputs exceeds that prepared at the time of the issue of the ITT.

Railways

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) locomotives,  (b) multiple units,  (c) freight wagons and  (d) carriages were in use on the rail network in the most recent period for which figures are available, broken down by (i) train operating company and (ii) class.

Tom Harris: Tables giving details of the number of locomotives, multiple units and carriages used by franchised passenger train operators, broken down by train operating company and class has been placed in the Libraries of the House. Not included are vehicles operated by Scotrail (for which the Scottish Executive is responsible) and non-franchised operators such as Network Rail, open access and charter operators. Information on the number of freight vehicles used on the network is not held by the Department.
	This information is based on latest available data but variations in the figures can be expected due to short term vehicle hiring, introduction of new fleets, withdrawal of older vehicles and cascades.

Railways: Capital Investment

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve the railway network over the next three years; and what capital improvements of over £10 million each are planned to start in that period.

Tom Harris: Improvements in capacity and performance are being achieved through the record investment the Government are making in the railway. Two projects in particular—the West Coast Main Line upgrade and Channel Tunnel Rail Link Stage 2—are due to be completed in the next three years. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State also announced, earlier this month that a thousand new carriages will be introduced on some of the most congested routes in the country.
	The High Level Output Specification, due to be announced in the summer of this year, will set out other Government's requirement for railways from 2009-10 and subsequently.

Railways: Fares

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how train fares have changed on average over the last 10 years; and what assessment he has made of the effect on the number of people travelling by train.

Tom Harris: Fares regulated by the Department for Transport cost on average 2 per cent. less in real terms today than in 1996. In that period, passenger numbers have grown by over 40 per cent. with more than a billion passenger journeys on the railway for the first time since 1959.

Railways: Franchises

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what adjustments he has made to his Department's working assumptions on future projected revenues from rail franchise premium payments following the collapse of the GNER franchise.

Tom Harris: We do not specify the levels of premium or subsidy payments that bidders may propose in franchise competitions. The Department maintains a close review of the current and projected future financial health of currently operating franchises.

Railways: Freight

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what  (a) role and  (b) actions his Department has taken in the development of the Strategic Rail Authority's policy towards large-scale railfreight interchanges.

Tom Harris: On 14 October 2005 the Department for Transport issued a statement regarding the status of the Strategic Rail Authority's Strategic Rail Freight Interchange Policy. This statement still represents the position of the Department. Both documents are available in the rail freight section of the Department's website.

Railways: Hastings

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with train companies on the Hastings to Charing Cross train line.

Tom Harris: I have had no specific discussions with either Southern or Southeastern about the Charing Cross to Hastings line. However I, and my officials, have regular discussions with both train operators about performance and other issues.

Railways: Standards

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many train journeys were cancelled in each year between 1997 and 2006, broken down by train operating company.

Tom Harris: This is an operational matter for Network Rail. For a response, the right hon. Member may wish to contact Network Rail's Chief Executive at the following address:
	John Armitt
	Chief Executive
	Network Rail
	40 Melton Street
	London
	NW1 2EE

Railways: Tees Valley

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans his Department has to fund the development of a Tees Valley metro system.

Tom Harris: The Department has no plans to fund the development of a Tees Valley Metro system and has received no request to do so.

Railways: Tees Valley

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will assess the merits of funding an extension of the Tyne and Wear Metro system to incorporate South Durham and Hartlepool in its network.

Tom Harris: It would be for the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority and Executive, and not central Government, to investigate the feasibility of any such extensions to the Metro system. The Department is not aware of any such plans.

Railways: Thames Valley

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 8 March 2007,  Official Report, columns 2131-2W, on railways: Thames Valley, if he will place in the Library  (a) copies of the information provided to his Department by First Great Western of their (i) assessment of and (ii) plans to meet passenger demand to and from Maidenhead and Twyford and  (b) his Department's analysis of those proposals.

Tom Harris: The Department does not publish contents of bids on the grounds of commercial confidentiality. The Department's analysis of franchise bid information provides the basis for further clarification and any subsequent negotiations with bidders. Publication of officials' assessments would be prejudicial to the department's commercial interests.
	The Greater Western Franchise Agreement contains details of the franchisee's ongoing obligations in relation to capacity and is available on the Secretary of State's public register. The register can be consulted on application to the Department.

Railways: Thames Valley

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 8 March 2007,  Official Report, columns 2131-32W, on railways: Thames Valley, what First Great Western's ongoing obligations are in relation to capacity as defined in the Greater Western Franchise.

Tom Harris: The obligation for capacity in the First Greater Western (FGW) National Rail Franchise Terms requires that the Franchisee use reasonable endeavours in planning its timetable and the rolling stock diagrams needed to implement it, to provide passengers with a reasonable expectation of a seat off peak and within 20 minutes of boarding during the peak period.
	The Greater Western Franchise Agreement is available on the Secretary of State's public register. The register can be consulted on application to the Department.

Railways: Thames Valley

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 2 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1574W, on Railways: Thames Valley, what changes to the timetable and consequential amendments were agreed between the Secretary of State and FGW during their discussions in February and March 2006 on the December 2006 timetable; and what changes and amendments were refused by either party.

Tom Harris: The changes which were agreed between the Secretary of State and First Great Western ('FGW') are set out in Appendix 11 of the FGW franchise agreement. The agreement is available on the Secretary of State's public register. The register can be consulted on application to the Department.
	No potential changes or amendments in relation to the Thames Valley were refused.

Railways: Thames Valley

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 2 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1574W, on Railways: Thames Valley, if he will set out the figures for the established passenger loads during the stated time periods for journeys from, and to, Maidenhead and Twyford stations.

Tom Harris: The data referred to in the previous answer are contained in the "Market, Service and Review Report" produced for the Strategic Rail Authority in June 2004. A copy has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Road Traffic Offences: Insurance

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on using Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and motor insurance databases in conjunction with automatic number plate recognition equipment to detect uninsured drivers.

Stephen Ladyman: holding answer 26 March 2007
	There has been good progress and I refer to the answer I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Warley (Mr. Spellar) on 22 November 2006,  Official Report, columns 93-4W. Since that date the police are continuing to use automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) equipment to detect uninsured drivers with excellent results.

Road Works: Fees and Charges

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what powers local authorities have to charge utility companies for street works; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: Currently, local authorities do not have any powers to charge utility companies for carrying out works in the highway. A highway authority may make charges under s74 of New Roads, and Street Works Act 1991, if works are unreasonably prolonged.
	The Traffic Management Act 2004 introduces powers that allow highway authorities to operate a permit scheme for all works in the highway, on which undertakers will be charged. Regulations have been drafted for the implementation of permit scheme and were the subject of a consultation that closed on 26 February. The draft Regulations will be revised to take account of consultation responses and will be laid before the House for debate this summer.

Roads: Accidents

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many road traffic accidents occurred in  (a) Eastbourne and  (b) East Sussex in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many accident blackspots have been identified in  (a) Eastbourne and  (b) East Sussex; and what steps his Department has undertaken to reduce the number of accidents in such locations.

Stephen Ladyman: The number of reported personal injury road accidents in Eastbourne and East Sussex (excluding Brighton and Hove) in each year since 1997 is given in the table.
	
		
			  Number of reported personal injury accidents in Eastbourne and East Sussex, 1997  to  2005 
			   Eastbourne  East Sussex( 1) 
			 1997 279 1,989 
			 1998 338 2,040 
			 1999 335 1,991 
			 2000 320 1,941 
			 2001 308 1,737 
			 2002 356 1,823 
			 2003 343 1,811 
			 2004 309 1,720 
			 2005 306 1,703 
			 (1) Includes Eastbourne but excludes Brighton and Hove 
		
	
	There is no standard definition for an accident blackspot. The assessment of local accident blackspots is a matter for the relevant local highway authorities.

Roads: Construction

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average cost was of building a mile of  (a) motorway,  (b) trunk road grade dual carriageway,  (c) trunk road grade dual carriageway and  (d) an extra lane on a motorway in each of the past 10 years.

Stephen Ladyman: The following table lists the average cost per kilometre in real terms of building motorways, dual carriageway trunk roads and an extra lane to existing motorways, provided by publicly funded major schemes for the last 10 years.
	The ranges of cost reflect the different types of projects delivered in each year since 1996. Seven projects were delivered in 1999-2000, two of which included tunnels. One project adding lane capacity was completed in 2001-02 and the majority of its cost was in strengthening an existing bridge.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   Motorways  ( Cost per km in real terms )  Trunk dual  ( Cost per km in real terms )  Motorway widening  ( Cost per lane km in real terms ) 
			 
			 1996-97 n/a n/a 8.1 
			 1997-98 10.5 13.9 4.3 
			 1998-99 n/a 22.6 n/a 
			 1999-2000 n/a 55.8 n/a 
			 2000-01 20.9 n/a n/a 
			 2001-02 n/a n/a 34.9 
			 2002-03 n/a 4.8 n/a 
			 2003-04 13.7 5.9 14.4 
			 2004-05 n/a 5.4 2.4 
			 2005-06 n/a 4.6 6.8

Roads: Construction

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average cost of building a kilometre of road lane was in each year since 1997.

Stephen Ladyman: The following table lists the cost per kilometre in real terms of building road lanes on the strategic roads network in each complete year since 1997.
	The ranges of cost reflect the different types of projects delivered in each year since 1997. Seven projects were delivered in 1999-2000, two of which included tunnels. Only one project adding lane capacity was completed in 2001-02 and the majority of its cost was in strengthening an existing bridge.
	
		
			   Cost per lane km in real terms (£ million) 
			 1997-98 2.8 
			 1998-99 4.4 
			 1999-2000 10.2 
			 2000-01 2.7 
			 2001-02 34.9 
			 2002-03 1.2 
			 2003-04 2.6 
			 2004-05 1.6 
			 2005-06 3.5

Rolling Stock

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to seek to release rolling stock stored at Eastleigh onto  (a) Great Western and  (b) South West Trains services; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Harris: Rolling stock recently stored at Eastleigh comprises two types.
	Most are Class 442s which have recently come off lease from the South West franchise, having been replaced by newer trains. Angel Trains Limited, who own the Class 442s, will be considering how they might be deployed in future, though their relatively low passenger capacity means that they are not suitable for all routes.
	A number of Class 158 vehicles have also been stored at Eastleigh. Northern Rail announced on 13 March that they had taken the trains on lease to help ease crowding on some of their busiest services.

South West Trains: Fares

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he was first informed of proposals by South West Trains for a new premium rate for travel; what representations he has made to South West Trains on the new rate; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Harris: The franchise bid indicated an intention to review its fares strategy including those for unregulated off-peak fares.
	These fares are unregulated and at the discretion of the franchise operator, therefore the Secretary of State has made no representations to Stagecoach.

South West Trains: Rolling Stock

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has made to South West Trains on  (a) the condition of existing rolling stock and  (b) future requirements for rolling stock.

Tom Harris: The Department is currently agreeing a service quality regime with Stagecoach South Western Trains. This will cover the condition of the existing rolling stock.
	Stagecoach South Western's bid included proposals on their strategy to provide capacity to meet the franchise requirements as outlined by the Department for Transport. This includes an extra 10 vehicles to operate 10-car operation on peak time Windsor Line services.

Tolls

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff in his Department are working on plans to introduce a national road pricing scheme.

Stephen Ladyman: The road pricing team comprises 22 staff. The present focus of their work is local pricing schemes.

Transport: Lancashire

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding the local transport authority in Lancashire received  (a) in total,  (b) per mile of road and  (c) per head of population in each year since 1997.

Gillian Merron: The following table shows the total funding allocated to Lancashire council in the local transport capital settlements in each year between 1997-98 and 2006-07 (inclusive) in terms of  (a) totals  (b) per mile of road and  (c) per head of population.
	
		
			  Lancashire council 
			   Total funding (£000)  Funds (£000) per mile  Funds (£ per head) 
			 1997-98 11,006 2.23 7.67 
			 1998-99 7,155 1.66 6.21 
			 1999-2000 9,681 2.25 8.4 
			 2000-01 11,532 2.68 10 
			 2001-02 27,830 6.49 24.15 
			 2002-03 30,730 7.16 26.67 
			 2003-04 25,388 5.92 22.03 
			 2004-05 29,209 6.81 25.35 
			 2005-06 25,865 6.03 22.45 
			 2006-07 27,211 6.35 23.62 
			  Note: The 1997-98 figures include Blackpool and Blackburn, which were part of Lancashire pre-reorganisation.

Travel: Expenditure

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the percentage change in real terms of the cost of travelling by  (a) private car,  (b) bus and  (c) train since 1997.

Gillian Merron: The following table shows in index form the costs of motoring, bus and train travel in real terms in each year since 1997.
	
		
			  Real changes in the cost of transport: UK 1997 to 2005  (Index 1997 = 100) 
			   All motoring( 1)  Bus fares  Rail fares 
			 1997 100.0 100.0 100.0 
			 1998 99.7 99.9 100.7 
			 1999 100.6 101.9 102.8 
			 2000 101.4 103.0 101.5 
			 2001 99.1 105.4 103.6 
			 2002 96.7 106.9 104.2 
			 2003 95.2 108.2 103.0 
			 2004 93.4 110.5 103.9 
			 2005 91.4 114.5 105.0 
			 (1) "All motoring" includes the cost of purchase, maintenance, fuel, tax and insurance.  Source: Office for National Statistics 
		
	
	The overall cost of motoring has fallen in real terms by 8.6 per cent. between 1997 and 2005. Over the same period, bus fares and rail fares have risen by 14.5 per cent. and 5.0 per cent. respectively.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefits

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the exit figures were from  (a) incapacity benefit and  (b) severe disability allowance in (i) each Pathways to Work area and (ii) each non-Pathways to Work area in each quarter since the commencement of Pathways to Work pilots.

Jim Murphy: The available information has been placed in the Library.

Children: Maintenance

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of child maintenance claims were cleared within 18 weeks during the last six months for which the Child Support Agency was accepting applications to the old scheme; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 23 February 2007
	The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive.
	He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty , dated 29 March 2007:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what percentage of child maintenance claims were cleared within 18 weeks during the last six months for which the Child Support Agency was accepting applications to the old scheme; and if he will make a statement.
	The Agency begins to process new applications as soon as they are received and continues until they have been cleared. Any applications that have not yet been cleared can be regarded as outstanding. The amount of work required to achieve clearance and the elapsed time it involves varies considerably depending on, amongst other things, the circumstances of the parents and how readily they cooperate with the Agency. As such, the Agency holds only a negligible number of completely unprocessed applications.
	An old scheme clearance is defined under the following circumstances; if a maintenance assessment has been carried out; a parent with care has been identified as claiming Good Cause or is subject to a Reduced Benefit Decision; the application is identified as being a change of circumstances on an existing case; or the application has been closed. This differs from the definition of a new scheme clearance, which also includes further work in agreeing and setting up a collection schedule following the completion of a maintenance calculation.
	68 per cent of child maintenance claims received on the old scheme in the period from 1st September 2002 to 28th February 2003, the last six months for which the Child Support Agency was accepting applications to the old scheme, were cleared within 18 weeks.
	As you will be aware, the Agency has committed in its Operational Improvement Plan, published in February 2006, to improve performance in this area such that 80 per cent of new applications will be cleared within 18 weeks of receipt by March 2008.

Council Tax: Fraud

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the amount of money lost to council tax benefit fraud in the financial year  (a) 2004-05,  (b) 2005-06 and  (c) 2006-07; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: Council tax benefit is similar to housing benefit in both regulations and administration. The following table shows estimated overpaid expenditure for council tax benefit by applying the proportion of expenditure that was overpaid for housing benefit, to the total expenditure on council tax benefit.
	
		
			  Estimated overpayment due to fraud in council tax benefit 
			   Percentage of expenditure  Overpaid £ million 
			 2004-5 1.3 50 
			 2005-6 1.0 40

Departmental Websites

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to introduce charges for employers posting adverts on the JobCentre Plus website.

Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 29 March 2007:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question on whether he plans to introduce charges for employers posting adverts on the Jobcentre Plus website. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	There are no plans to charge employers for posting their job vacancies on the Jobcentre Plus website.
	The basis of our employer strategy is that we offer enhanced services to those employers who best support our aim to help disadvantaged customers.
	I hope this is helpful.

Disability Living Allowance: Fraud

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many prosecutions his Department has instigated for the fraudulent use of disability living allowance in each of the last five years; how many of these prosecutions were successful; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Prosecutions for disability living allowance related fraud 
			   Number of prosecutions  Number of convictions 
			 2001-02 68 97 
			 2002-03 85 90 
			 2003-04 60 80 
			 2004-05 86 106 
			 2005-06 198 195 
			  Notes:  1. The figures include prosecutions for benefit and instrument of payment related fraud.  2. The figures for number of prosecutions do not include General Matching Service cases.  3. The figures for the number of convictions include General Matching Service cases.  Source:  1. Number of prosecutions from Fraud Information by Sector.  2. Number of convictions from Disability and Carer's Service Operational Intelligence Unit. 
		
	
	The Disability and Carers Service, the agency responsible for administering disability living allowance (DLA), is committed to reducing fraud and error in DLA.
	All allegations of benefit fraud are carefully considered and, where appropriate, referred for investigation to the Fraud Investigation Service.

Employment: Islam

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to increase the number of Muslim women in employment.

Jim Murphy: DWP does not focus its employment programmes specifically by faith, but instead focuses resources on disadvantage. Employment programme funding will be targeted on areas such as Tower Hamlets and Bradford where a large number of the population are Muslim.
	Partners' Outreach for Ethnic Minorities, an outreach service which started in February 2007, aims to test ways to improve support for people from ethnic minorities who are disengaged from the labour market and unlikely to use mainstream Jobcentre Plus services. It is targeting Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Somali partners in low income households. The target group includes a high proportion of women who are predominantly Muslim. It is available in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bradford, Leeds and Leicester, the cities identified in the National Employment Panel's 2005 report 'Enterprising people: Enterprising places'.

Housing Benefit Fraud

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department has spent on initiatives to reduce housing benefit fraud in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: Information regarding the amounts provided to local authorities to help reduce fraud and error in housing benefit is in the following table.
	
		
			   Amount (£ million) 
			 1997-98 62.21 
			 1998-99 38.63 
			 1999-00 39.07 
			 2000-01 35.11 
			 2001-02 65.58 
			 2002-03 73.75 
			 2003-04 130.50 
			 2004-05 128.44 
			 2005-06 143.13 
			  Notes: 1. A number of counter-fraud schemes have operated from 1997. These are the Weekly Benefit Saving Scheme, the New Incentive Scheme, the Security Against Fraud and Error Scheme and the Verification Framework. The figures include set up and ongoing costs for the Verification Framework in addition to money claimed by local authorities for work done under the Weekly Benefit Saving Scheme, the New Incentive Scheme and the Security Against Fraud and Error Scheme. 2. The main changes in expenditure between years can be explained as follows: A tightening of the rules in 1998-99 reduced the amounts local authorities could claim for counter-fraud work. The increase in 2001-02 was due to the replacement of the Weekly Benefit Saving Scheme by the New Incentive Scheme. A further increase in subsidy paid in 2003/04 stemmed from increases in the rewards for anti-fraud work.  Source: 1997-98 to 2000-01 data are from the DWP Appropriation Accounts; later figures are from the DWP Resource Accounts.

Incapacity Benefit

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many, and what percentage of claimants left incapacity benefit at the  (a) four month and  (b) 12 month stage of their claim in (i) Pathways to Work areas and (ii) non-pathways area, in each quarter since January 2003.

Jim Murphy: The available information is in the tables. Figures for the latest quarter do not include any late notifications and are subject to major changes in future quarters. For illustration purposes total terminations for May 2004 increased by 33 per cent. in the year following their initial release.
	
		
			  Number and percentage of incapacity benefit (IB)/severe disablement allowance (SDA) terminations in Pathways to Work areas 
			  Quarter ending  Up to 4 months  Up to 4 months (percentage)  4-12 months  4-12 months (percentage) 
			 November 2003 1,000 — 800 — 
			 February 2004 2,600 2.4 1,800 1.7 
			 May 2004 5,200 4.8 3,700 3.4 
			 August 2004 5,900 2.5 4,500 1.9 
			 November 2004 5,400 2.3 3,900 1.7 
			 February 2005 5,300 2.2 3,600 1.5 
			 May 2005 5,400 2.3 3,800 1.6 
			 August 2005 4,600 2.0 2,900 1.3 
			 November 2005 5,100 2.2 3,600 1.6 
			 February 2006 5,100 2.2 3,000 1.3 
			 May 2006 4,700 2.0 4,000 1.7 
			 August 2006 4,000 1.7 2,900 1.3 
		
	
	
		
			  Number and percentage of incapacity benefit (IB)/severe disablement allowance (SDA) terminations in non -Pathways to Work areas 
			  Quarter ending  Up to 4 months  Up to 4 months (percentage)  4-12 months  4-12 months (percentage) 
			 February 2003 41,800 1.5 36,100 1.3 
			 May 2003 55,300 2.0 46,900 1.7 
			 August 2003 55,800 2.1 47,000 1.7 
			 November 2003 57,100 2.1 46,700 1.7 
			 February 2004 48,600 1.9 44,100 1.7 
			 May 2004 45,600 1.8 42,300 1.6 
			 August 2004 42,700 1.7 43,900 1.8 
			 November 2004 45,700 1.9 44,100 1.8 
			 February 2005 42,300 1.7 43,300 1.8 
			 May 2005 43,700 1.8 42,800 1.7 
			 August 2005 40,000 1.6 39,800 1.6 
			 November 2005 40,000 1.7 37,400 1.5 
			 February 2006 35,300 1.5 39,700 1.6 
			 May 2006 35,700 1.5 42,500 1.8 
			 August 2006 29,700 1.3 32,600 1.4 
			  Notes.  1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred  2. Numbers are based on a five per cent. sample, and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling variation.  3. These figures should be used as a guide to the current situation only.  4. Local authorities and Government office regions are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant postcode directory.  5. Bridgend, Renfrewshire and Derbyshire were introduced as the first Pathways to Work areas in October 2003.  6. East Lancashire, Essex, Gateshead and South Tyneside and Somerset were introduced as Pathways to Work areas in April 2004  Source:  Information Directorate five per cent. sample

Industrial Health and Safety: Cannabis

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the impact of the regular use of cannabis on the performance at work of those employees on whom the health and safety of members of the public depend.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 19 March 2007
	 No such assessment has been made.
	However, in 2004, Cardiff university produced a research report for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on the impact of illegal drug use in the workplace. The report is available on the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr193.pdf.

Jobcentre Plus

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what checks are undertaken by Jobcentre Plus to ensure that jobs advertised by agencies via Jobcentre Plus facilities exist and are not attempts to obtain CVs.

Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 29 March 2007:
	The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to reply to your question asking what checks are undertaken by Jobcentre Plus to ensure that jobs advertised by agencies via Jobcentre Plus facilities exist and are not attempts to obtain CVs. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	As part of handling agencies through our Employer Direct Contact Centre or via our Employer Direct on-line service there are a number of steps taken before we accept their vacancies. These include making sure we have a signed service level agreement with the agency, which, among other things, clearly states they must not use our services merely to compile lists of potential employees. Over and above this, we also require details of the specific job in question, for example terms, conditions and a reference number, and confirmation that a contract exists between the agency and the employer.
	Once accepted, vacancies placed through an Employer Direct Contact Centre or Employer Direct on-line are also subject to a 48-hour follow-up call from the Labour Market and Recruitment Adviser to discuss and agree ongoing handling arrangements. If suspicions are aroused about the legitimacy of the vacancy, either at this stage or subsequently, for example by a customer complaint, this is investigated fully and could, ultimately, lead to the withdrawal of service.

Jobcentre Plus: Telephone Services

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many calls to the central 0845 608 8564 Jobcentre Plus number were made in each month for which records are available; what the average time taken to answer customer calls to the number was in each month; and how many calls to the number were terminated before being answered in each month;
	(2)  what the maximum cost per minute is of calling the central 0845 608 8564 Jobcentre Plus number from  (a) a land line and  (b) a mobile telephone;
	(3)  which sections of Jobcentre Plus have to use the central 0845 608 8564 Jobcentre Plus number to make inquiries with central benefits teams; and which sections have alternative numbers by which to contact central benefit teams;
	(4)  how telephone and fax numbers for central benefits teams are circulated to  (a) Jobcentre Plus offices and  (b) Citizen's Advice Bureau offices.

Jim Murphy: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 29 March 2007:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking about calls made to the 08456 088564 Jobcentre Plus number of the Department for Work and Pensions; the use of alternative numbers by Jobcentre Plus; and the circulation of telephone and fax numbers to Jobcentre Plus offices and Citizens Advice Bureau offices. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The telephone number 08456 088564 relates to Exeter, which we are currently converting into a Benefits Delivery Centre. The current telephony system only gathers limited management information. The information we hold shows an increase in calls answered each month from 6,426 calls in December 2006 to 7,385 in January 2007 and 7,770 in February 2007. However, the current system does not provide data detailing the average time taken to answer calls or how many calls were terminated before being answered.
	An average call lasts about 4 minutes—the calls cost (set by BT) between 1-3p per minute (from a landline) depending on the time of day. Call charges from mobile telephones vary depending on the service provider.
	All Jobcentre Plus offices in Somerset were given alternative direct dial telephone numbers for central benefit teams. In addition, an e-mail procedure has been established to allow Jobcentre Plus staff to contact the processing teams, to improve communication. This will be in place by Mid April. The telephone and fax numbers were shared with Citizens Advice Bureau offices by means of a leaflet issued in the week prior to the introduction of the 0845 number on 05 December 2006.
	I hope this is helpful.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in how many constituencies more people claimed job seeker's allowance at the end of 2006 than at the end of 1997.

James Plaskitt: Nationally, the number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance in Great Britain in December 2006 was a third less than in December 1997.
	There were twenty-four constituencies in England where the number of people in receipt of jobseeker's allowance at December 2006 was greater than the number receiving jobseeker's allowance at December 1997.
	There are no constituencies in Wales with such an increase.
	Comparable Information is not available for Scottish constituencies due to major boundary changes between the two dates. However, for Scotland as a whole less people were in receipt of jobseeker's allowance in 2006 than in 1997.

Members: Correspondence

Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects the Minister of State for Pension Reform to reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Argyll and Bute dated  (a) 2 January and  (b) 9 February on a constituent from the Isle of Mull.

James Plaskitt: The hon. Member's letter was replied to on 29 March 2007.

New Deal

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the training providers of the new deal programmes, broken down by region.

Jim Murphy: This Department delivers new deal in England, Scotland and Wales. Information on new deal training providers in the nine English regions, Scotland and Wales is in the following lists and tables.
	 New deal training providers in English Regions
	 East Midlands
	A4e
	Instant Muscle
	TBG Learning
	Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities
	Fern Training and Development Ltd.
	SEETEC
	Support into Work
	Work in Progress
	Yes2work
	 London
	Career Development Group
	Skills Training
	A4e
	Community Links
	Maatwerk
	Mencap
	SEETEC
	Sencia Ltd.
	Shaw Trust
	Status Employment Ltd.
	YMCA Training
	 North East
	A4e
	Training Network Group Ltd.
	Working Links
	DISC
	City Centre Training (Northern)
	Shaw Trust
	 Yorkshire and Humber
	A4e
	Best Ltd.
	Fern training and Development Ltd.
	The Calderdale Colleges Corporation
	Wakefield Council
	YH Training Services
	 South East
	A4e
	Career Development Group
	TBG Learning
	Enham
	WTCS
	Oxfordshire Employment Service
	Portsmouth Craft and Manufacturing Industries
	SCOPE
	Support Shop
	Workbridge Enterprises
	 South West
	A4e
	BTCV
	Bournemouth and Poole College
	Prospects Services
	SEETEC
	WTCS
	 North West
	Training Network Group Ltd.
	A4e (Action for Employment)
	Crosby Training
	MBW Training Services LLP
	Training West Lanes Ltd.
	BTCV
	Standguide
	Inspire to Independence
	Employment and Regeneration Partnership
	First Asian Support Trust (FAST) Ltd
	Local solutions
	NWENET
	Shaw Trust
	Training into Employment (TIE) Oldham MBC
	Voluntary Action Vale Royal
	 East of England
	Training Network Group
	YMCA Training
	Kennedy Scott
	A4e
	Anglia Training Services
	North Hertfordshire College
	Shaw Trust
	Armstrong Learning
	Mencap
	North Hertfordshire College
	Papworth Trust
	Remploy
	Richmond Fellowship Employment and Training
	Royal British Legion Industries Employment Service
	SEETEC
	Shackleton Associates
	 West Midlands
	Pertemps People Development Group
	Biscom Resource Management
	Dudley MBC Future Skills
	ETW WARWICKSHIRE
	Juniper Training
	Shropshire County Training
	Steps to Work Walsall
	A4e
	Birmingham CC
	Warwickshire CC
	Work Directions UK
	WTCS
	Work First
	 New  d eal training providers in Scotland
	The Wise Group
	Triage Central Ltd.
	Claverhouse Training
	SCVO
	Support Training Ltd.
	A4e
	Argyll and Bute Council
	East Dunbartonshire Council
	Glasgow Mentoring Network
	Lauder College
	West Lothian Council
	The North Highland College
	Edinburgh University Settlement
	Intowork
	Quadrant
	Scout Enterprises (Western)
	The Shirlie Project
	Shaw Trust
	Swansea College
	Management Introductions
	Moray College
	Reed in Partnership PLC
	 New  d eal training providers in Wales
	A4e Wales Ltd.
	Carmarthenshire CC Training and Technology Centre
	DASH Training South Wales LLP
	Hyfforddiant Ceredigion Training
	Pembrokeshire CC
	Scout Enterprises
	SOVA
	Swansea College
	TD Training Ltd.
	Tydfil training Consortium
	Caerphilly CBC
	
		
			  New  d eal self-employment training providers in English Regions 
			   Regions 
			 Norfolk and Waveney Enterprise Agency Yorkshire and Humber, East Midlands and East of England 
			 Inbiz North West and North East 
			 Birmingham Chamber of Commerce South West and West Midlands 
			 Training Network Group Limited London and the South East 
		
	
	 New  d eal self-employment training providers in Scotland
	Inbiz
	 New  d eal self-employment training providers in Wales
	Birmingham Chamber of Commerce
	
		
			  New deal for  m usicians training providers in English regions 
			   Country 
			 Armstrong Learning Ltd. England 
		
	
	 New deal for musicians training providers in Scotland
	Scottish Cultural Enterprise Limited
	 New  d eal for  m usicians  t raining  p roviders in Wales
	Quadrant Media and Communications Limited
	 Note:
	This Department is not responsible for the provision of employment and training programmes in Northern Ireland.

New Deal for Long Term Unemployed

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were on the new deal 25 plus programme for the  (a) first time,  (b) second time,  (c) third time,  (d) fourth time,  (e) fifth time and  (f) sixth time or greater in each month since 1998.

Jim Murphy: holding answer 1 March 2007
	Some people will return to new deal after leaving the programme, but this is inevitable in a dynamic labour market. New deal 25 plus has to be considered in the context of the people it sets out to help. People who suffer long periods of unemployment can find it particularly difficult to get back to and remain in work. The longer they are unemployed, the greater the barriers to getting work, and helping them into work is a considerable achievement.
	The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  New deal 25 plus participants 
			   Participating for 
			  Month  First time  Second time  Third time  Fourth time  Fifth time  Sixth time or greater 
			 April 2001 7,500 2,330 720 30 0 0 
			 May 2001 13,990 3,850 1,050 50 0 0 
			 June 2001 20,690 5,380 1,360 90 0 0 
			 July 2001 25,370 6,490 1,590 150 0 0 
			 August 2001 30,820 7,710 1,860 250 0 0 
			 September 2001 33,960 8,720 2,150 380 10 0 
			 October 2001 35,900 9,660 2,730 550 10 0 
			 November2001 37,950 11,040 3,530 780 10 0 
			 December 2001 39,680 11,770 4,060 870 20 0 
			 January 2002 40,180 12,020 4,290 1,010 20 0 
			 February 2002 40,400 11,940 4,420 1,050 20 0 
			 March 2002 40,610 11,830 4,550 1,180 20 0 
			 April 2002 40,770 11,750 4,640 1,210 20 0 
			 May 2002 40,920 11,960 4,910 1,250 30 0 
			 June 2002 40,710 11,900 5,090 1,240 30 0 
			 July 2002 40,230 12,070 5,320 1,320 40 0 
			 August 2002 39,630 12,270 5,540 1,450 50 0 
			 September 2002 38,740 12,140 5,650 1,580 60 0 
			 October 2002 41,170 12,700 6,190 1,870 80 0 
			 November 2002 42,330 13,270 6,660 2,090 90 0 
			 December 2002 43,060 13,550 6,860 2,220 110 0 
			 January 2003 42,950 13,520 6,930 2,370 120 0 
			 February 2003 42,470 13,340 6,880^ 2,400 120 10 
			 March 2003 41,990 13,110 6,730 2,340 130 0 
			 April 2003 42,060 13,100 6,650 2,350 130 10 
			 May 2003 42,270 13,020 6,450 2,230 130 10 
			 June 2003 41,910 12,700 6,170 2,120 130 10 
			 July 2003 41,420 12,610 5,860 2,000 140 10 
			 August 2003 40,900 12,530 5,650 1,920 130 10 
			 September 2003 40,200 12,410 5,450 1,810 140 10 
			 October 2003 39,380 12,380 5,280 1,750 150 10 
			 November 2003 38,510 12,420 5,180 1,690 170 10 
			 December 2003 38,340 12,590 5,160 1,690 190 10 
			 January 2004 37,560 12,690 5,060 1,660 200 10 
			 February 2004 36,830 12,660 5,060 1,630 230 10 
			 March 2004 35,820 12,680 4,950 1,630 250 10 
			 April 2004 35,130 12,660 4,930 1,680 300 10 
			 May 2004 34,970 12,740 4,900 1,710 300 20 
			 June 2004 34,610 12,760 4,880 1,740 330 20 
			 July 2004 34,660 12,660 4,850 1,810 350 10 
			 August 2004 35,010 12,820 4,990 1,930 390 20 
			 September 2004 34,700 12,820 4,990 1,970 410 20 
			 October 2004 34,250 12,740 4,990 2,020 450 30 
			 November 2004 34,210 12,730 5,040 2,080 470 40 
			 December 2004 34,670 12,940 5,110 2,220 510 50 
			 January 2005 34,540 13,010 5,030 2,210 510 50 
			 February 20005 34,550 13,040 5,030 2,210 550 50 
			 March 2005 34,110 12,870 5,000 2,170 580 40 
			 April 2005 33,440 12,610 4,950 2,140 630 40 
			 May 2005 33,000 12,570 4,950 2,110 630 50 
			 June 2005 32,500 12,550 4,920 2,120 650 50 
			 July 2005 31,670 12,280 4,870 2,050 650 60 
			 August 2005 31,230 12,150 4,820 2,070 650 60 
			 September 2005 30,380 11,850 4,740 2,000 660 60 
			 October 2005 29,680 11,610 4,700 2,020 650 60 
			 November 2005 29,330 11,540 4,680 1,960 630 60 
			 December 2005 29,410 11,690 4,790 1,970 640 70 
			 January 2006 29,460 11,540 4,720 1,970 640 70 
			 February 2006 29,570 11,640 4,760 1,940 640 80 
			 March 2006 29,510 11,570 4,750 2,000 660 80 
			 April 2006 29,460 11,590 4,810 2,040 680 80 
			 May 2006 29,790 11,650 4,920 2,070 680 110 
			 June 2006 29,860 11,720 4,990 2,130 700 120 
			 July 2006 30,020 11,860 5,040 2,180 730 120 
			 August 2006 30,460 12,030 5,190 2,250 780 130 
			  Notes: 1. Data on participants is only available from April 2001, when the programme was enhanced. 2. Latest information is at August 2006. 3. Figures are rounded to nearest 10.  Source: Information Directorate, DWP

New Deal Schemes

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total value was of the subsidy paid to employers participating in the new deal programme in each year since 1997.

Jim Murphy: holding answer 7 February 2007
	 The information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Subsidies paid to new deal employers 
			  £ 
			   Programme  Subsidy  Total 
			 1998-99 New Deal for Young People 12,833,938 (1)16,212,447 
			  New Deal 25 plus 3,378,508 (1)— 
			 
			 1999-2000 New Deal for Young People 26,796,246 (2)40,979,584 
			  New Deal 25 plus 14,183,337 (2)— 
			 2000-01 New Deal for Young People 15,822,914 (3)29,368,663 
			  New Deal 25 plus 13,545,748 (3)— 
			 
			 2001-02 New Deal for Young People 14,437,503 (4)26,352,038 
			  New Deal 25 plus 11,914,534 (4)— 
			 
			 2002-03 New Deal for Young People 14,018,071 (5)26,749,631 
			  New Deal 25 plus 12,731,560 (5)— 
			 
			 2003-04 New Deal for Young People 12,109,282 (6)22,066,686 
			  New Deal 25 plus 9,957,404 (6)— 
			 
			 2004-05 New Deal for Young People 8,740,573 (7)15,309,518 
			  New Deal 25 plus 6,568,944 (7)— 
			 
			 2005-06 New Deal for Young People 8,442,265 (8)14,765,999 
			  New Deal 25 plus 6,323,734 (8)— 
			  Notes:  1. Subsidies are only paid to employers through new deal for young people and new deal 25 plus.  2. The employment subsidy paid to employers through new deal for young people is £60 per week for up to 26 weeks for people working 30 plus hours a week, and £40 per week for people working 24-29 hours a week.  3. For new deal 25 plus, the subsidy paid to employers is £75 per week for up to 26 weeks for people they employ working 30 hours a week or more and £50 a week for people working 16-29 hours a week.  4. Employers who employ disabled people who meet the DDA definition of disability through either new deal are paid the full subsidy even if the vacancy advertised is for less than 16 hours a week.  5. New deal for young people started in January 1998 and new deal 25 plus started in July 1998.  6. Latest full year data is to March 2006.  Source:  Jobcentre Plus Finance Directorate

New Deal Schemes

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many participants there were in the  (a) New Deal for Lone Parents and  (b) New Deal for Disabled People in each month since January 1998; how many of those people found work in each month; and how many people had been on the New Deal for Lone Parents for more than a year in each month.

Jim Murphy: holding answer 7 February 2007
	The information has been placed in the Library.

New Deal Schemes

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many participants there were on the New Deal for Partners for  (a) the first time,  (b) the second time,  (c) the third time and  (d) the fourth or more time in each month since 1998.

Jim Murphy: The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  New deal for partners 
			Of which, participating for the: 
			   Participants  First time  Second time  Third time  Fourth time 
			 April 2004 90 90 — — — 
			 May 2004 320 320 — — — 
			 June 2004 470 470 — — — 
			 July 2004 680 670 10 — — 
			 August 2004 840 830 10 — — 
			 September 2004 1,010 1,000 10 — — 
			 October 2004 1,250 1,230 10 — — 
			 November 2004 1,440 1,420 20 — — 
			 December 2004 1,530 1,510 20 — — 
			 January 2005 1,690 1,660 30 — — 
			 February 2005 1,850 1,820 30 — — 
			 March 2005 2,020 1,990 30 — — 
			 April 2005 2,210 2,170 40 — — 
			 May 2005 2,310 2,270 50 — — 
			 June 2005 2,410 2,350 50 — — 
			 July 2005 2,490 2,430 60 — — 
			 August 2005 2,490 2,430 60 — — 
			 September 2005 2,580 2,520 60 — — 
			 October 2005 2,620 2,560 60 — — 
			 November 2005 2,660 2,600 60 — — 
			 December 2005 2,660 2,600 60 — — 
			 January 2006 2,700 2,630 70 — — 
			 February 2006 2,800 2,720 80 — — 
			 March 2006 2,940 2,850 90 — — 
			 April 2006 3,000 2,910 80 — — 
			 May 2006 3,060 2,970 90 — — 
			 June 2006 3,100 3,010 90 — — 
			 July 2006 3,140 3,040 100 — — 
			 August 2006 3,180 3,070 100 — — 
			  Notes: 1. New deal for partners started in April 1999. 2. Data are only available from April 2004. 3. Latest data are to August 2006. 4. People can be, and will be, included as participating in more than one month if the time spent on new deal for partners exceeded one month.  5. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 6. Where the number is between 0 and 4 it will be recorded as a dash in the table.  Source: Information Directorate, Department for Work and Pensions.

Parliamentary Questions

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many written parliamentary questions to his Department in the 2005-06 session were not answered wholly or in part on grounds of disproportionate cost.

James Purnell: This information is not held in the format requested. However, it is a matter of public record and can be found in the  Official Report.

Part-time Employment: Females

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many women were working part-time in  (a) 1979 and  (b) 2006; and how many of these were earning below the lower earnings limit for national insurance contributions in each period.

James Purnell: holding answer 26 February 2007
	The Labour Force Survey (LFS) uses self-classification to determine full or part time employment status. The LFS for spring 2006 shows 4.6 million part-time female employees. The survey records 1.5 million part-time female employees earning less than £84 per week. Results for spring 1979 show 3.4 million part-time female employees, but no information on earnings was collected in 1979.

Pathways to Work

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason the tender deadline for phase 1 of the private and voluntary sector Pathways to Work pilots was extended to 11 April; what impact he expects the extension to have on service delivery; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: We have extended the deadline for phase 1 provider led Pathways so that potential providers can better take into account the impact of the introduction of the employment and support allowance. This does not adversely affect the national rollout of Pathways.

Pension Credit

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners his Department estimates are eligible for pension credit in  (a) the UK and  (b) Wales; how many pensioners in (i) the UK and (ii) Wales have taken up pension credit each year since it was introduced; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: Estimates of eligibility and therefore take-up are not available below the level of Great Britain, it is not therefore possible to say how many people are eligible to pension credit or what the take-up is in Wales.
	The latest estimate of the number of pensioners entitled to pension credit in Great Britain is between 3.7 million and 4.2 million.
	The latest estimates of the take-up of the main income-related benefits: income support, pension credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit and jobseeker's allowance (income-based) in Great Britain can be found in the DWP report entitled "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 2004/2005". Copies of the publication are available in the Library.
	Pension credit has been highly successful in reducing pensioner poverty and now, after housing costs have been accounted for, pensioners are less likely to be in poverty than the population as a whole. Since the introduction of pension credit, the number of pensioners in relative poverty has fallen by half a million.
	We continue to make every effort to ensure that pension credit goes to those who are entitled to it. The table shows the number of households in Great Britain and Wales receiving pension credit each year since its introduction.
	In Northern Ireland pension credit administration is a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
	
		
			  Pension credit household recipients 
			   Great Britain  Wales 
			 November 2003 2,084,700 121,890 
			 August 2004 2,592,590 151,980 
			 August 2005 2,696,660 159,290 
			 August 2006 2,728,150 162,050 
			  Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10/100. 2. Pension credit was introduced on 6 October 2003 and replaced minimum income guarantee (income support for people aged 60 or over). 3. Household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves only or on behalf of a household.  Source: DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. data

Pension Credit: Wales

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in each constituency in Wales were in receipt of pension credit in each year since 2003; and how much was claimed in pension credit in each Welsh constituency in each year; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: The answer is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Household recipients of pension credit and the cost of pension credit expenditure for constituencies in Wales—November 2003 and November 2004 
			  Parliamentary constituencies  Number of household recipients November 2003 (thousand)  Annual minimum income guarantee and pension credit expenditure 2003 (£ million nominal terms)  Number of household recipients November 2004 (thousand)  Annual pension credit expenditure 2004 (£ million nominal terms) 
			 Aberavon 3.33 7.7 4.21 9.8 
			 Alyn and Deeside 2.47 5.3 3.23 6.8 
			 Blaenau Gwent 3.80 8.2 4.65 10.0 
			 Brecon and Radnorshire 2.31 5.2 3.05 6.7 
			 Bridgend 2.92 6.7 3.72 8.5 
			 Caernarfon 3.06 6.5 3.69 8.0 
			 Caerphilly 3.56 8.3 4.59 10.4 
			 Cardiff Central 2.05 5.2 2.45 6.3 
			 Cardiff North 2.11 4.8 2.72 6.2 
			 Cardiff South and Penarth 4.31 10.5 5.15 12.8 
			 Cardiff West 3.51 8.4 4.24 10.6 
			 Carmarthen East and Dinefwr 2.80 6.1 3.66 8.0 
			 Carmarathen West and South Pembrokeshire 2.94 6.6 3.95 8.9 
			 Ceredigion 2.37 5.4 3.20 7.3 
			 Clwyd South 3.02 6.8 3.81 8.5 
			 Clwyd West 3.32 7.5 4.24 9.6 
			 Conwy 3.00 6.6 3.76 8.2 
			 Cynon Valley 2.99 6.7 3.88 8.9 
			 Delyn 2.68 5.7 3.42 7.3 
			 Gower 2.76 6.2 3.44 7.8 
			 Islwyn 2.80 6.0 3.65 7.7 
			 Llanelli 4.17 9.7 5.14 11.9 
			 Meirionnydd Nant Conwy 1.75 3.8 2.33 5.0 
			 Merthyr Tydfil and Fhymney 3.44 7.9 4.42 10.3 
			 Monmouth 2.48 5.5 3.21 7.2 
			 Montgomeryshire 1.94 4.0 2.61 5.5 
			 Neath 3.27 7.4 4.31 9.7 
			 Newport East 2.57 6.0 3.38 7.7 
			 Newport West 3.35 7.9 4.16 9.9 
			 Ogmore 2.88 6.5 3.78 8.6 
			 Pontypridd 3.19 6.9 4.09 8.8 
			 Preseli Pembrokeshire 2.75 5.8 3.83 8.0 
			 Rhondda 4.13 9.0 5.19 11.5 
			 Swansea East 3.70 8.7 4.52 10.7 
			 Swansea West 3.74 8.9 4.46 11.0 
			 Torfaen 3.62 7.9 4.51 9.9 
			 Vale of Clwyd 3.80 9.0 4.64 11.0 
			 Vale of Glamorgan 3.03 6.9 3.74 8.6 
			 Wrexham 2.87 6.4 3.55 7.9 
			 Ynys Mon 3.10 7.2 3.95 9.2 
			  
			 Wales 121.89 275.9 154.55 350.3 
		
	
	
		
			  Household recipients of pension credit and the cost of pension credit expenditure for constituencies in Wales—November 2005 and August 2006 
			  Parliamentary constituencies  Number of household recipients November 2005 (thousand)  Annual minimum income guarantee and pension credit expenditure 2005 (£ million nominal terms)  Number of household recipients August 2006 (thousand)  Annual pension credit expenditure 2006 (£ million nominal terms) 
			 Aberavon 4.46 10.9 4.52 11.7 
			 Alyn and Deeside 3.39 7.4 3.40 7.8 
			 Blaenau Gwent 4.75 10.8 4.81 11.6 
			 Brecon and Radnorshire 3.15 7.2 3.18 7.8 
			 Bridgend 3.85 9.2 3.89 9.8 
			 Caernarfon 3.77 8.5 3.77 9.0 
			 Caerphilly 4.79 11.4 4.89 12.3 
			 Cardiff Central 2.50 6.7 2.57 7.2 
			 Cardiff North 2.85 6.7 2.91 7.3 
			 Cardiff South and Penarth 5.37 14.0 5.35 14.8 
			 Cardiff West 4.40 11.5 4.40 12.1 
			 Carmarthen East and Dinefwr 3.80 8.5 3.87 9.2 
			 Carmarathen West and South Pembrokeshire 4.08 9.4 4.15 10.0 
			 Ceredigion 3.30 7.7 3.37 8.3 
			 Clwyd South 3.92 9.0 3.96 9.7 
			 Clwyd West 4.39 10.5 4.52 11.6 
			 Conwy 3.90 9.0 3.90 9.6 
			 Cynon Valley 4.03 9.7 4.06 10.4 
			 Delyn 3.49 7.8 3.53 8.5 
			 Gower 3.59 8.4 3.58 9.0 
			 Islwyn 3.77 8.3 3.83 8.9 
			 Llanelli 5.29 12.8 5.30 13.3 
			 Meirionnydd Nant Conwy 2.45 5.6 2.49 6.0 
			 Merthyr Tydfil and Fhymney 4.58 11.0 4.65 11.8 
			 Monmouth 3.36 7.9 3.41 8.6 
			 Montgomeryshire 2.72 6.0 2.77 6.5 
			 Neath 4.48 10.5 4.54 11.4 
			 Newport East 3.54 8.3 3.62 9.1 
			 Newport West 4.32 10.6 4.40 11.5 
			 Ogmore 3.94 9.3 3.92 9.8 
			 Pontypridd 4.33 9.8 4.41 10.5 
			 Preseli Pembrokeshire 3.97 8.5 4.02 9.2 
			 Rhondda 5.46 12.6 5.50 13.4 
			 Swansea East 4.68 11.5 4.74 12.4 
			 Swansea West 4.55 11.5 4.57 12.3 
			 Torfaen 4.64 10.7 4.71 11.5 
			 Vale of Clwyd 4.81 11.8 4.90 12.6 
			 Vale of Glamorgan 3.93 9.4 4.03 10.5 
			 Wrexham 3.61 8.4 3.58 8.8 
			 Ynys Mon 4.04 9.7 4.03 10.1 
			  
			 Wales 160.22 378.4 162.05 406.0 
			  Notes: 1. Expenditure figures are consistent with the published PBR 2006 Great Britain pension credit outturn annual totals and are rounded to the nearest £100,000. 2. The number of households in receipt are rounded to the nearest 10. 3. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 4. Caseloads and average weekly amounts for November 2003, November 2004, November 2005 and August 2006 have been used to calculate the annual expenditure figures for each constituency in Wales. 5. Household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves only or on behalf of a household.  Source: DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. data and DWP Benefit Expenditure Tables

Pensioner Poverty

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate  (a) how many pensioners were living in deep poverty, defined as a household income below 40 per cent. of median household earnings and  (b) how many such pensioners were not claiming the full pension credit or minimum income guarantee they were entitled to in each year since 1997-98.

James Purnell: The most common and internationally recognised threshold to measure poverty is income below 60 per cent. of median. We do not present information covering 40 per cent. of median income in our Households Below Average Income series as it is not a good measure of poverty. This is because households stating the lowest incomes to the Family Resources Survey (FRS) may not actually have the lowest living standards. Many people who report very low incomes appear to have high spending. Hence any statistics on numbers in this group may be misleading.
	Specific information regarding low income for the United Kingdom is available in 'Households Below Average Income 1994-95 to 2005-06' (HBAI). This annual report, which is a National Statistics publication, includes the numbers and proportions of individuals, children, working age adults and pensioners with incomes below 50 per cent., 60 per cent. and 70 per cent. of median income, and the proportions in persistent poverty.
	Pension credit has been highly successful in reducing pensioner poverty; since its introduction, the number of pensioners in relative poverty has fallen by over 700,000. Now, for the first time in a period of sustained economic growth, pensioners are less likely to be in poverty than the population as a whole, after housing costs are accounted for.
	We continue to make every effort to ensure that pension credit goes to those who are entitled to it. It is more challenging to reach those entitled to smaller amounts, or to the savings credit only, who may be less familiar with the entitlements available to them. The Pension Service has contacted pensioners to encourage them to take up entitlement to pension credit many times already as part of extensive marketing activity. Over 70 per cent. of those pensioners who appear to have entitlement to pension credit have been contacted over five times already. And around 25 per cent. of customers visited about pension credit say that they do not want to make a claim. However, we are committed to improving take-up and are continually looking at further ways to target these groups and encouraging them to apply.
	The information requested for pensioners in Great Britain is shown in the following tables. Estimates of entitled non-recipients of MIG or pension credit should be treated with caution. This is especially the case given that we are looking at the extreme of the income distribution and so are less sure of pensioners' modelled entitlement. Results are based on small sample sizes and have not been corrected for biases that may be inherent in estimates of entitlement to income related benefits—that is, they may be based on the data for those who appear to be entitled non-recipients but will not all actually be entitled non recipients and vice versa. Figures are therefore presented as proportions of the total pensioner population below the 40 per cent. of median household income.
	
		
			  Table 1 : Number of pensioners living in households with less than 40 per cent of contemporary median household income, and as a proportion of all pensioners, for the years 1997-98 to 2005-06, Great Britain 
			   After housing costs  (Million)  As a proportion of all pensioners  (Percentage) 
			 1997-98 0.47 5 
			 1998-99 0.49 5 
			 1999-2000 0.49 5 
			 2000-01 0.46 5 
			 2001-02 0.51 5 
			 2002-03 0.47 5 
			 2003-04 0.51 5 
			 2004-05 0.45 4 
			 2005-06 0.46 4 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are presented after housing costs as this is our preferred measure for pensioners. 2. The table shows number of individuals in millions, rounded to the nearest 10 thousand. 3. These figures are not National Statistics and caution must be applied because those people stating the lowest incomes in the FRS may not actually have the lowest living standards. 4. Estimates cover the private household population of Great Britain. The data source is the Family Resources Survey. 5. These figures are calculated using OECD equivalisation factors. Prior to 2002-03 they are based on a GB median and from 2002-03 it is based on a UK median. This is consistent with low income estimates published in the latest edition of Households Below Average Income. The GB median is similar to the UK median. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Proportion of pensioners living in households with income below 40 per cent. of contemporary median household income who were also living in a benefit unit that is entitled but not receiving IS-MIG-PC, Great Britain 
			Percentage 
			   After housing costs  As a proportion of all pensioners 
			 1997-98 36 2 
			 1998-99 35 2 
			 1999-2000 42 2 
			 2000-01 45 2 
			 2001-02 57 3 
			 2002-03 55 3 
			 2003-04 50 2 
			 2004-05 64 3 
			 2005-06 59 3 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are presented after housing costs as this is our preferred measure for pensioners. 2. Estimates of the pensioner population cover those above state pension age (60 for women and 65 for men). The estimates therefore exclude some men aged 60 to 64 and partners of pensioners aged under 60, who may have been eligible but not claiming pension credit. 3. Estimates also exclude those cases where respondents have reported they are awaiting the outcome of a claim for a benefit and have been modelled as entitled to that benefit. 4. Estimates cover the private household population of Great Britain. The data source is the Family Resources Survey. 5. These figures are calculated using OECD equivalisation factors. Prior to 2002-03 they are based on a GB median and from 2002-03 it is based on a UK median. This is consistent with low income estimates published in the latest edition of Households Below Average Income. The GB median is similar to the UK median. 6. minimum income guarantee (MIG) was introduced for pensioners in April 1999 paid through income support. 7. Pension credit (PC) was introduced mid-way through 2003-04; therefore, estimates for 2003-04 cover those pensioners who were entitled but not receiving either MIG or PC. As this relates to the first six months of pension credit the figures should be treated with some caution. 8. For the purposes of this analysis, benefit unit based data (take-up statistics) were combined with household equivalised income based results (Households Below Average Income statistics). 9. Estimates for 2000-2001 and 2003-2004 onwards incorporate the results of a data matching exercise, which links the Family Resources Survey with DWP administrative data in order to identify 'hidden recipients' of MIG-PC, i.e. those people who tell the FRS they do not receive pension credit, but actually do. 10. Estimates are presented as proportions of the total pensioner population below the 40 per cent. of median household income, as the analysis is based on single-year survey data and the absolute numbers of such pensioners who were not claiming the pension credit or minimum income guarantee they were entitled to might be biased due to small sample sizes. 11. These analyses have not been corrected for the biases that may be inherent in estimates of entitlement to income-related benefits—that is, they may be based on the data for those who appear to be entitled non recipients (ENRs) but will not all actually be ENRs and vice versa—and so they should be treated with some caution. 12.The estimates relate only to those who were modelled as entitled to receive benefit but were not identified to be in receipt of any amount of benefit. It therefore does not include cases where a pensioner is in receipt of some benefit, but this is less than the amount they are truly entitled to. Including these cases may not give a reliable indication of full take-up due to the potential error that exists in modelling entitlement.

Pensioners: Social Security Benefits

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much was paid in retirement benefits to  (a) couples,  (b) single men and  (c) single women where the recipients were aged (i) 60 to 64, (ii) 65 to 69, (iii) 70 to 74, (iv) 75 to 79 and (v) over 79 in the latest period for which figures are available.

James Purnell: The information requested is in the following table:
	
		
			  Average benefit income in £ per week, 2004-05 prices 
			   Couples  Single men  Single women 
			 60-64 68 76 120 
			 65-69 178 129 130 
			 70-74 187 134 137 
			 75-79 186 133 134 
			 Over 79 196 139 148 
			  Notes: 1. Benefit income includes national insurance related benefits (basic and additional state pension, widow's benefits and incapacity benefit), income related benefits (pension credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit and social fund grants) and disability related benefits (mainly disability living allowance and attendance allowance). 2. Figures are for Great Britain. 3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest pound. 4. Based on survey data and as such subject to a degree of sampling error. 5. Benefit income is self-reported and consequently can be misreported. 6. The breakdown by age for couples is by the age of the man. 7. The amounts for 60-64 year old couples and single men are lower than for older age groups because 60-64 year old men are not entitled to state pension.  Source:  Pensioners' Incomes Series 2004-05

Pensions: EC Law

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the extent to which the Government's policies on pension protection  (a) have been and  (b) are compliant with EU Council Directive 80/987/EEC of 20 October 1980; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: I refer the hon. member to the Secretary of State's written statement on occupational pensions of 28 March 2007.

Pensions: Stroud

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many residents in each electoral ward in Stroud constituency receive pension credit.

James Purnell: The answer is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Household recipients and individual beneficiaries of pension credit in each ward in Stroud constituency August 2006 
			  Ward Name  Household recipients  Individual beneficiaries 
			 Amberley and Woodchester 50 60 
			 Berkeley 215 260 
			 Bisley 60 75 
			 Cainscross 325 395 
			 Cam East 195 235 
			 Cam West 205 265 
			 Central 70 80 
			 Chalford 165 205 
			 Coaley and Uley 60 80 
			 Dursley 220 265 
			 Eastington and Standish 115 130 
			 Farmhill and Paganhill 120 135 
			 Hardwicke 115 145 
			 Minchinhampton 195 235 
			 Nailsworth 240 290 
			 Over Stroud 50 60 
			 Painswick 115 125 
			 Rodborough 105 130 
			 Severn 170 210 
			 Slade 80 95 
			 Stonehouse 405 490 
			 The Stanleys 200 250 
			 Thrupp 50 65 
			 Trinity 85 95 
			 Uplands 120 140 
			 Upton St Leonards 60 70 
			 Vale 50 65 
			 Valley 85 105 
			 Wotton-under-Edge 260 315 
			
			 Stroud constituency Total 3,950 4,800 
			  Notes:  1. Caseloads are rounded to the nearest five.  2. Wotton-under-Edge crosses the parliamentary constituency boundary.  3. As a result of 1. and 2. totals may not sum.  4. Wards are based on 2003 ward boundaries.  5. Household recipients are those people who claim Pension Credit either for themselves only or on behalf of a household.  6. The number of individual beneficiaries includes both claimants and their partners.   Source:  DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent data.

Pensions: Call Centres

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of calls to the pension application hotline  (a) were answered,  (b) received an engaged tone and  (c) went unanswered in the last period for which figures are available.

James Purnell: The Pension Service has two contact centres responsible for taking applications over the telephone. The pension credit application line takes applications for pension credit, and applications for state pension are taken by the Retirement Pension Teleclaim centre.
	The latest period for which figures are available for the pension credit application line (PCAL) and for the Retirement Pension Teleclaim Centre (RPTC) is 1 February 2007 to 28 February 2007. A call receiving an engaged tone does not reach the centre and is not therefore available to be answered. A call cannot be answered until it reaches the advisor queue, the percentages quoted are in relation to the calls available to be answered. The information is contained in the following table
	
		
			  1 to 28 February 2007  Percentage of calls which received an engaged tone (these calls did not reach the centre) (b)  Percentage of calls available to be answered which were answered (a)  Percentage of calls available to be answered which were abandoned by the customer ( c) 
			 PCAL 0.3 98.8 1.2 
			 RPTC 0.0 99.9 0.1

Post Office Card Account

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with representatives of the banking industry on the development of the new Post Office card account; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: My officials regularly meet with representatives of the banking industry to discuss issues of mutual interest, including wider developments in the banking world.
	The Government have decided that there will be a new service after 2010 when the contract for the Post Office card account ends. In accordance with the EU procurement rules. We will tender competitively for this product and a notice will be placed in the Official Journal of the European Union shortly.

Social Fund

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effect of centralisation of Social Fund processing on  (a) service to the public and  (b) debt recovery; and on what evidence his assessment is based;
	(2)  how many calls to the Social Fund system have been  (a) received,  (b) answered and  (c) completed in each office dealing with Social Fund applications.

James Plaskitt: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. I have asked her to provide my hon. Friend with the information requested.
	 Letter from Lesley Strathie dated 29 March 2007:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions about the centralisation of Social Fund processing and calls to the Social Fund system. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	The centralisation of Social Fund is being undertaken on a roll-out basis and is not due for completion until March 2008. Once this schedule is complete Social Fund will be processed from 20 sites throughout the country. As we are only halfway through this process (with some of the rolled-out offices still to migrate Social Fund work into their sites), it is too early to make an assessment of the impact of centralisation. The decision to centralise this activity was to address performance variation and to concentrate our staff expertise to improve service to our customers.
	The revised standard operating model was introduced recently. This makes our service more accessible to our customers because our customers can complete the process in a single call. As a result we have seen an increase in Social Fund applications and payments and a widening of access to the Fund.
	The debt recovery process remains the same for centralised and non centralised offices.
	As the modernisation programme for advanced telephony is still underway, we do not have management information giving the number of calls received, answered and completed in Social Fund sites.

State Retirement Pensions

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what impact he expects the Pensions Bill to have on the returns delivered by the financial markets to pensioners over the expected life of those expected to contribute under its proposed arrangements.

James Purnell: The introduction of personal accounts will enable more people to benefit from investment returns in financial markets and to receive higher incomes in retirement. We expect approximately £4 billion-£5 billion of additional savings per year as a result of personal accounts.
	The impact on financial markets of such a savings increase is likely to be limited. Funds under management in personal accounts are expected to be invested in a diversified portfolio and are expected to be small compared to existing financial markets. As a result, we would not expect the rates of return delivered by the financial markets to pensioners to be affected significantly by the introduction of personal accounts.

Welfare to Work: Reform

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff in his Department assisted David Freud on the Welfare to Work Review.

Jim Murphy: David Freud involved officials from across the Department in his review and was supported by a secretariat of three officials on a full-time basis and two officials on a part-time basis.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Building Regulations: Prosecutions

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many  (a) charges and  (b) convictions there were for contraventions of building regulations in (i) Basingstoke and Deane Borough, (ii) Hampshire and (iii) England in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Angela Smith: As building control is a fully devolved service under the Building Act 1984, no central records are kept of charges or convictions arising from non-compliance with building regulations.

Council Tax

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effect of council tax increases since 1997 on pensioners.

Phil Woolas: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 19 April 2007,  Official Report, column 653W, given to the hon. Member for Gravesham (Mr. Holloway).

Council Tax

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential for reductions in council tax arising from proposals from shire counties for unitary authorities based on  (a) county councils and  (b) district councils.

Phil Woolas: If implemented, the unitary proposals that we are consulting on have the potential of delivering savings of up to around £200 million per annum. It will be for those local authorities whose bids are implemented to decide whether they use any part of those savings to reduce council tax.

Council Tax

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the cost of the council tax revaluation in England; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Government will stand by their commitment not to revalue during the lifetime of this Parliament. With the forthcoming three-year settlement for local government concluding in 2010-11 it would not expect to consider revaluation before this date. Even at this point there would need to be clear benefits given the costs to households that could be involved. It is not possible at this stage to estimate what the costs of a future revaluation would be.

Council Tax: Inspections

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made on proposals to give local authorities the power to authorise council tax inspectors to enter private properties; what qualifications such an inspector will require; and what powers they will be granted.

Phil Woolas: There are no such proposals. The Valuation Office Agency is a central Government Agency and its listing officers have the same powers of entry for the purposes of valuing homes for council tax that they were given when council tax was introduced in 1993. There have been no changes since then and we have no intention of making any changes in the future.

Council Tax: Valuation

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 8 March 2007,  Official Report, column 2153W, on council tax: valuation, what property performance indicators local authorities are encouraged to collect.

Phil Woolas: I refer the hon. Member to the Communities and Local Government website at:
	www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/capital/data/guidanc3.pdf

Departmental Expenditure Limits

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the ministerial statement of 20 February 2007,  Official Report, columns 13-7WS, on departmental expenditure limits, what the reason was for the transfer of  (a) £104,000 from the Capacity Building to the Standards Board and  (b) £300,000 from Bellwin to the Valuation Tribunal Service.

Angela Smith: The increase for the Valuation Tribunal Service is primarily to help cover costs of finding new premises for the Service's Peterborough office.
	The increase for the Standards Board for England is to support the ongoing implementation of the code of conduct.

East of England Plan

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on what date she gave responsibility for the East of England Plan to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley.

Meg Munn: The Secretary of State has overall responsibility for decisions taken under Planning Acts. The Regional Assembly for the East of England published the draft East of England Plan on 8 December 2004 which was subject to an independent Examination in Public from 1 November 2005 until the 3 March 2006. The Examination in Public report was published on 22 June 2006.
	Procedures and arrangements for the Ministerial phase of decisions on this round of RSSs were considered and set out in October, in advance of the first decisions needing to be taken, with the responsibility for decisions on the East of England Plan being delegated to me. The first decisions on the East of England Plan were taken by me in November.

East of England Plan

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to which Minister the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State the hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley reports on matters concerning housing and planning in the East of England region.

Meg Munn: I am the Minister responsible for planning case work and the Regional Spatial Strategy in the East of England region, acting on behalf of the Secretary of State.

Equality

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will bring forward a Single Equality Bill.

Phil Woolas: Proposals for the Single Equality Bill will be published in a Green Paper for public consultation, shortly.

Housing: Subsidies

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  which local authorities are eligible for housing revenue account subsidy; and how much was granted to each eligible local authority in each year for which there are records;
	(2)  how much each local authority in England paid back to the Exchequer from their housing revenue account in each year since 1990.

Yvette Cooper: I have placed the information requested in the Library of the House in a form of a table showing the amount of positive and negative housing revenue account subsidy entitlement for every eligible authority since 1994-95. Earlier information can only be retrieved at disproportionate cost.
	The definition of negative subsidy was changed by the Local Government Act 2003, which came into force on 1 April 2004. The figures given are directly comparable, though the terminology changed between the financial years.
	In the most recent year for which audited data are available (2005-06), the Exchequer made an annual contribution of over £200 million.

Housing: Valuation

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the Valuation Office Agency's (VOA) definition of an outbuilding is for the purposes of dwellinghouse code 14 as published in VOA document IT IA 180303.

Phil Woolas: The VOA has no rigid definition.

Key Workers

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  when she expects to answer question 122428, on key worker homes, tabled by the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green on 20 February;
	(2)  when she expects to answer question number 122392, on homes for key workers, tabled by the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green on 20 February.

Yvette Cooper: I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member's questions.
	I will answer them shortly.

Local Enterprise Growth Initiative

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what the budget is for the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative in 2006-07; and what budget is planned for  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 2008-09;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the cost of administering the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative in 2007-08.

Phil Woolas: The budget for years 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 are given in the following table. Please note that these figures exclude a possible third round of LEGI which is dependent on the outcome of the comprehensive spending review.
	
		
			  £ 
			   Round 1  Round 2  Total 
			 2006-07 31,196,136 n/a 31,196,136 
			 2007-08 45,723,021 49,997,471 95,720,492 
			 2008-09 49,132,091 53,913,129 103,045,220 
		
	
	The cost of administering LEGI in 2007-08 will be sensitive to a decision in CSR on whether there will be a third round of LEGI, and the timing of a third round. However, indicative costs for central Government administration spend for 2006-07 were £112,050, or 0.36 per cent . of the total budget for that year. I anticipate that administrative costs should remain broadly the same next year.
	It is for local partnerships responsible for delivering LEGI to determine the proportion of their budget that is necessary and appropriate to efficiently administer the programme. We encourage partnerships to evaluate their spend against outcomes to help them achieve good value for money.

Local Government

Patrick Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the written statement of 27 March 2007,  Official Report, columns 71-3WS, on local government, what steps she plans to take in the event of the proposal for a unitary authority for Bedford being approved to ensure that a satisfactory outcome is obtained for the whole of the county of Bedfordshire.

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 27 January 2007,  Official Report, columns 71-3WS, on local government, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for  (a) Mid-Bedfordshire and  (b) South Bedfordshire of the approval of a unitary authority for Bedford; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: We are now consulting stakeholders and partners (including all local authorities affected) on two unitary proposals for Bedfordshire—the proposal of Bedfordshire county council for a single unitary for the whole of Bedfordshire, and the proposal of Bedford borough council for a unitary Bedford. It is open to anyone, including the local authorities affected, i.e., Mid Bedfordshire and South Bedfordshire, to comment on these proposals.
	They may choose to respond to the consultation by proposing support for the Bedfordshire county council unitary proposal or by proposing support for the Bedford borough proposal, and in doing so, may suggest that the remainder of the county also be made unitary.
	On the basis of the information currently before us, it is the Government's view that should the proposals for a unitary Bedford be accepted then the remainder of the county area would not be a viable two-tier area.
	If, therefore, following consultation, we decided to implement the Bedford borough proposal, it would be open to us to direct (subject to the enactment of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill), the remaining authorities in Bedfordshire to come forward with a unitary proposal for the remainder of the county area.

Local Government Finance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on what date Sir Michael Lyons is contractually obliged to deliver his report on local government finance to the Government.

Phil Woolas: Sir Michael Lyons published the final report of his independent inquiry into local government on 21 March 2007.

Local Government Finance

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the answer of 22 February 2007,  Official Report, column 931W, on local government finance, what the total was of each component of the formula grant to each local authority in each year since 1997.

Phil Woolas: Tables showing the components of formula grant, together with formula grant, for all authorities for each year from 1998-99 to 2007-08 have been placed in the Library of the House. Formula grant comprises Revenue Support Grant, redistributed business rates, principal formula Police Grant, SSA Reduction Grant (SSA Review), SSA Reduction Grant (Police Funding Review) and Central Support Protection Grant where appropriate.
	It is not possible to compare the data year-on-year as these are not on a like-for-like basis as there have been many changes in funding and function. For example, prior to 2006-07 support for schools was provided through formula grant; from 2006-07 support for schools is provided through the Dedicated Schools Grant.

National Association of Councillors

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what funding her Department or its predecessor has provided to the National Association of Councillors since 2002.

Ruth Kelly: The Department has provided no funding to this organisation.

Plymouth City Council

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many people employed by Plymouth city council are paid £80,000 per annum or more.

Phil Woolas: The information requested is not held centrally.

Social Services: Fees and Charges

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the reasons for changes in the fees charged by local authorities for care services in the last 12 months.

Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply.
	Charges for residential care are governed by Regulations, the "National Assistance (Assessment of Resources) Regulations 1992", and statutory guidance issued by the Department, the "Charges for Residential Accommodation Guide". Councils must follow these Regulations and have limited scope to make discretionary changes to what is charged for.
	Councils have discretion to set the level of charges for non-residential social services, within the framework of the Department's statutory guidance, "Fairer Charging Policies for Home Care and other non-residential Social Services, Guidance for Councils with Social Services Responsibilities".
	Copies of the Regulations and guidance are available in the Library. The Department does not collect information on the reasons for changes in the fees charged by councils.

Social Services: Finance

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she made of recent trends in social care costs when agreeing the local government grant settlement.

Phil Woolas: Policy responsibility for the provision and funding of local authority services in the area of adult and children's social services rest with the Department of Health and the Department of Education and Skills respectively. The Government have provided significant investment in local services, including in the area of social care, since taking office. Total Government grant to local authorities has increased by 39 per cent. in real terms since 1997 and this has delivered real improvements, with the Commission for Social Care Inspection reporting recently that social care services for adults have improved for the fourth successive year.
	The Government looked carefully with local government at all their cost pressures in 2006-07 and 2007-08, and the ways they could be managed, and have provided an extra £800 million over the two years above spending plans.
	We are committed to ensuring that authorities can continue to deliver effective local services. We are working with local government to identify future cost pressures on local authorities, and the ways in which these can be mitigated, as part of the comprehensive spending review 2007.

Valuation: IT Equipment

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans the Valuation Office Agency has  (a) to use and  (b) to trial handheld computers for (i) council tax and (ii) business rate valuations.

Phil Woolas: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is considering a number of ways in which it can reduce costs whilst improving its service delivery to taxpayers and ratepayers, and value for money for its clients.

Unitary Councils

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the effect on  (a) fixed and  (b) revenue costs of providing (i) school support services and (ii) specialist functions in the 26 areas where local authorities have put forward cases for unitary structures.

Phil Woolas: In making their cases for unitary local government, authorities were required to submit a detailed financial analysis of the costs involved. These analyses, based on a standard pro-forma, included a breakdown of the existing and future costs of providing local authority services, including education. Education costs were provided separately for nursery and primary schools, secondary and special schools and other expenditure.

Unitary Councils

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what account she plans to take of  (a) potential and  (b) existing economies of scale in the delivery of services in determining which proposals for future unitary structures should go forward.

Phil Woolas: All proposals were assessed against the five criteria set out in the Invitation to councils and we announced on 27 March which we judged, on the basis of the information available, had met the criteria and should go forward to consultation. One of those criteria is that the future local government structure must deliver value for money and equity on public services. A proposal demonstrating potential economies of scale in service delivery would have been a factor in our assessment of whether the proposal met this criterion. We will re-assess all proposals against the five criteria (set out in the Invitation) in the light of the consultation.

Unitary Councils: Exeter

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the  (a) affordability and  (b) value for money of Exeter City Council's business case for a unitary authority for the city.

Phil Woolas: The Department's assessment against all five criteria, including affordability and value for money, are set out in Exeter city council's decision letter of 27 March 2007.
	This is available on the Department's website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/pub/121/DecisionletterExeterCityCouncil_id150912l.pdf.

Valuation

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will break down by sub-heading the £193.45 million spent by her Department in 2005-06 on valuations services, as set out in the notes to the departmental resource accounts for 2005-06; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: A breakdown of the £193.45 million spent by the former Office of the Deputy Prime Minister in 2005-06 on valuation services provided by the Valuation Office Agency in relation to domestic and non-domestic rating matters can not be provided in a meaningful way.

Waste Management: Cost Effectiveness

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether a saving by a local authority arising from moving from weekly to alternate weekly collections of household rubbish can be counted by the local authority as an efficiency gain for the purposes of completing annual efficiency statements.

Phil Woolas: It would depend on the circumstances.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

10 Downing street

James Arbuthnot: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 21 March 2007,  Official Report, columns 956-7W, on No. 10 Downing street, which hon. Members have accepted an invitation to nominate children to have tea at No. 10 Downing street; and what the date was of each such invitation.

Hilary Armstrong: I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave the right hon. Member on 21 March 2007,  Official Report, columns 956-7W.

Civil Servants: British Nationality

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to how many and what proportion of posts in the civil service a certificate under the Aliens' Employment Act 1955 applies, broken down by Department; and if she will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: A certificate under the Aliens' Employment Act 1955 may be awarded in respect of employment in any non-reserved post, that is, in 95 per cent. of the total number of posts in the civil service. Figures on the number of certificates issued during 2006-07 are still to be finalised. For information on earlier years, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to him on 27 June 2006,  Official Report, column 314W.

Office of the Third Sector

Greg Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much the Office of the Third Sector has spent on recruiting staff since its formation.

Edward Miliband: The recruiting costs of bringing staff into the Cabinet Office, including the Office of the Third Sector, will be accounted for in the Department's annual report and resource accounts which will be published in the summer.

Office of the Third Sector

Greg Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment the Office of the Third Sector has made of the proposal from the Commission on Unclaimed Assets for a Social Investment Bank.

Edward Miliband: We welcome the contribution of the independent Commission on Unclaimed Assets in developing proposals for the use of unclaimed assets in bank accounts.
	The Government will consult on the distribution mechanism for unclaimed assets later in the spring and will consider the Commission's proposals for a Social Investment Bank as part of this process.

HOME DEPARTMENT

British Standard 7971

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 7 February 2007,  Official Report, column 970W, on British Standard 7971, what the cost has been of analysing the standard against the police operational requirement (POR); and what the cost of producing the related PORs have been.

John Reid: An estimation of the funds allocated over a three year period (2004 to 2007) for the development and publishing of the Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HOSDB) standards for public order protection is in the region of £200,000. A small part of this would have been used to assess the BS7971 suite of standards against the police operational requirement. The police operational requirements are produced and owned by the Association of Chief Police Officers with input from HOSDB. The cost of the input from HOSDB would be a small fraction of the £200,000 allocated to developing and publishing of HOSDB standards.

Cannabis: Young People

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to warn young people of the dangers of cannabis in the last 12 months.

Vernon Coaker: The Government are committed to informing and warning young people about the dangers of illegal drugs, including cannabis. Through the FRANK drug information campaign, we have consistently informed young people about the risks associated with cannabis use. Information has been made available on a website (with 1,100 visits to the cannabis page a day), in leaflets and via a helpline which receives around 1,350 calls a day. The message that 'cannabis isn't harmless' has been played out to young people as part of the FRANK campaign since October 2005 and information about the risks and effects associated with cannabis use continue to be a major element of the campaign through 2006-07.
	Over the last 12 months, a comprehensive package of communications and resources has been delivered:
	Around 25,000 cannabis information leaflets have been distributed to young people and their parents every month in 2006. In October 2006, three new leaflets were published with the clear message that cannabis is not harmless, it can affect mental health and contribute to the risk of schizophrenia. To date over 400,000 leaflets have been distributed.
	New radio, TV and online advertising introduced from July 2006 carried strong messages to young people that cannabis can have an impact on mental health as well as having more immediate effects.
	The Home Office, DfES and Department of Health have worked together with other key stakeholders to develop a drug education resource for pupils aged 11 to 14 and their teachers.
	The pupil book, that accompanies the pack, provides young people with information about those drugs which research indicates they are most likely to encounter, including cannabis.
	Working with the Department of Health we have produced a Mental Health pack that has been available to all mental health professionals since October 2006, highlighting the dangers of cannabis use and what can be done to tackle the problem.
	The Home Office part funded the charity 'Young Minds' to produce a mental health leaflet for young people which was launched in November 2006.
	In addition, DfES has also worked with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to produce the joining forces pack which provides guidance for police working in schools and colleges in relation to drugs.

Crime Prevention: Charities

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with crime prevention charities ahead of the announcement to cut the annual grant to Crimestoppers by 10 per cent.

Vernon Coaker: There has been no reduction in the annual grant to Crimestoppers. This charity is funded by the Crime Strategy Unit via a strategic partnership agreement (SPA) which commenced in December 2004 and is valid until March 2008. In March 2007 Crimestoppers were informed that they will be granted £900,000 for the financial year 2007-08 as specified in the SPA.

Demonstration: Parliament

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been  (a) arrested for demonstrating and  (b) stopped by police on suspicion of demonstrating within the exclusion zone around Parliament since its establishment.

John Reid: Section 132 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 came into force on 1 August 2005.
	The Home Office does not collect the information requested on arrests centrally.
	The Metropolitan police warn all demonstrators in the designated area who have not sought prior authorisation from the Commissioner who are invited to stop demonstrating and given time to depart. Those who refuse to stop their unauthorised demonstration, having been advised about the provisions covering demonstrations in the vicinity of Parliament, risk being arrested or reported for summons.

Departments: Golden Arrow Communications

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions during the last 12 months clients of Golden Arrow Communications have  (a) tendered for and  (b) been awarded contracts by his Department.

John Reid: The Home Office does not hold and is not responsible for the client list of Golden Arrow Communications. All contracts tendered and awarded by the Department are done so through fair and open competition and in compliance with the regularity framework set out in the European Public Procurement Directives.

Departments: Postal Services

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which postal companies handle mail dispatched by his Department and its agencies.

Liam Byrne: The Department, including its executive agencies, has mail contracts with Royal Mail and Secure Mail Services Ltd.

Deportation: Iran

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had regarding enforcement of deportations to Iran in the last two years.

Liam Byrne: I refer the hon. Member to the written ministerial statement of 7 March 2007,  Official Report, column 132WS.

Driving Offences: Fixed Penalties

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were issued with a fixed penalty notice for  (a) failing to wear a seat belt and  (b) speeding in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 27 March 2007
	 : Available information on seat belt and speed limit offences taken from the Fixed Penalty Notices Collection held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform, from 2000 to 2004 (latest available) is provided in the table.
	2005 data will be available later this year.
	
		
			  Fixed penalty notices issued( 1)  for seat belt( 2)  and speed limit( 3)  offences, England and Wales, 2000 to 2004 
			  Thousand 
			   2000  2001  2002  2003  2004 
			 Seat belt offences(2) 155 144 126 146 202 
			 Speed limit offences(3) 942 1,151 1,407 1,895 1,924 
			 (1) Covers tickets paid where there is no further action. (2) Offences under the Road Traffic Act 1988 ss.14 (3) and 15 (2) & (4). (3) Offences under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 ss. 16, 81, 84, 86, 88 & 89; Motor Vehicles (Speed Limits on Motorways) Regs. 1973; Parks Regulation (Amendment) Act 1926 - byelaws made thereunder.  Note:  Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Drugs

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of those charged with theft tested positive for an illegal narcotic on arrest in the latest period for which figures are available.

Vernon Coaker: Information in the format required is not available. Data on those testing positive for specified Class A drugs—heroin, cocaine or crack cocaine—are collected at the point of testing, either on arrest or at charge, but not at both points.
	In January 2007, 39 per cent. of offenders arrested for theft tested positive for Class A drugs while 48 per cent. of offenders tested at charge for theft were found to be positive for the specified Class A drugs.

Drugs: Rehabilitation Centres

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will undertake an audit of the availability of beds for convicted offenders in residential rehabilitation centres.

Vernon Coaker: Figures relating to the number of these beds which are occupied by convicted defendants are not held centrally and an audit would not be cost-effective.
	Nationally, there are around 120 drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation services in the community with approximately 3,000 bed spaces. These are available to individual drug misusers in the community, including convicted defendants as part of a community order with a drug rehabilitation requirement (DRR)/drug treatment and testing order (DTTO) or post-custodial licence, where assessed as suitable on an individual basis by a qualified professional.

Fingerprints: Children

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals are being considered to fingerprint children under the age of 16 as part of the passport and identity card system; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ryan: Section 2 of the Identity Cards Act 2006 clearly establishes that only those aged 16 and over are eligible to be registered on the National Identity Register and issued with an identity card. Thus, there are no plans to record fingerprint biometrics of those aged under 16 on the National Identity Register for the purpose of issuing identity cards. The records of passport holders aged under 16 will not form part of the National Identity Register.
	To maintain the reputation and integrity of the British passport, we intend to keep in step with European Union regulations which require the introduction of fingerprint biometrics into passports by June 2009. At present, the regulation specifies no minimum age for the recording of fingerprint biometrics and discussions between member states are continuing on that issue.
	As set out in the Strategic Action Plan for the National Identity Scheme published in December 2006, the Identity and Passport Service has anticipated that it may be necessary to record fingerprint biometrics for passports issued to those over the age of 11. Passports issued to those aged between 11 and 15 years are of a five year validity. They need to match the physical and technical standards of those issued to adults as the holders of such passports hold them when they become more economically active and move into adulthood, possibly continuing to use such passports up to the age of 20. For example it would be anomalous for one 19-year-old to have a passport which incorporated fingerprint biometric data and another 19-year-old to have a passport which did not incorporate fingerprint biometric data as it was issued when the holder was under 16 and not treated as an adult.

Police

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the salary cost is of the  (a) director of the Policing Policy and Operations Directorate and  (b) head of the Police Human Resources Unit in 2006-07.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 23 March 2007
	It is civil service policy to disclose salary details for senior civil servants at board level only. These are published in the annual Home Office Resource accounts. The director of the Policing Policy and Operations Directorate and the head of the Police Human Resources Unit are not board level posts.

Prison Service Staff

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of senior operational managers in the Prison Service are from ethnic minority groups.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Information is available for all public sector prisons and seven of the 11 private establishments. Together the Prison Service employs 341 senior operational managers, of whom eight (2.3 per cent.) are recorded as black and minority ethnic (BME). The base total includes two people who declined to state their ethnicity.

Prisons: Construction

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many additional prison officers and custody officers at each rank within  (a) the Prison Service and  (b) the private sector will be employed to supervise the new prisoner places announced as being available by 2012; how many of those places will be for (a) single and (b) multiple occupation; and how many occupants per multiple occupied cell this represents.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Staff numbers are dependent on the type. Decisions on the number of additional prison and location of prisons and whether they are financed publicly or privately. As the prison regimes are also still under consideration, decisions on the number of additional prison custody officers required, whether publicly or privately employed, have not yet been made. The number of additional staff required for each site will largely be dependent on the type of prisoners.
	Nearly all new places to be provided by 2012 will be built as single occupancy cells although, at certain sites, there will be cells built to hold two prisoners. The final configurations have not yet been confirmed for all sites.

Prisons: Drugs

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were placed on detoxification programmes for drug misuse in each of the last three years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The following table indicates the number of entrants to prison detoxification and drug maintenance programmes for the years 2001-02 to 2005-06. Full year figures for 2006-07 are not yet available.
	
		
			   Entrants 
			 2003-4 57,891 
			 2004-5 53,903 
			 2005-6 53,773 
		
	
	These data have been extracted from the Prison Service PSimon database.

Road Traffic Offences: Cross Border Cooperation

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions his Department has had with the European Commission on cross border traffic penalty enforcement; and what agreements have been reached.

Stephen Ladyman: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department has had no direct meetings with the European Commission on cross border traffic penalty enforcement. However, research is being funded by the Commission's Director General for Energy and Transport (DGTREN) under the projects VERA (Video Enforcement for Road Authorities) and CAPTIVE (Common Application of Traffic Violations Enforcement). These projects were initiated to identify the steps that could be taken at a European level to implement a pan-EU approach to cross-border enforcement of traffic offences involving all member states. Officials from the Department and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency have taken part in workshops to take this work forward.
	Additionally, in January, the Department also responded to a Commission consultation paper 'Respecting the Rules Better Road Safety Enforcement in the European Union'. A copy of the response can be found at:
	http://ec.europa.eu/transport/roadsafety_library/consultations/enforcement_20061106/enforcement_united_kingdom.pdf.

Serious and Organised Crime Agency

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the  (a) set-up and  (b) transition costs were for the Serious and Organised Crime Agency.

Vernon Coaker: The SOCA  (a) set-up costs are £27.28 million, made up of £8.9 million net additional resource expenditure and £7.73 million capital as reported in the 2005-06 accounts of the Home Office, NCS and NCIS; in addition to £10.65 million NCS and NCIS reported as core budget expenditure related to SOCA, which included the value of NCS/NCIS staff time spent on implementation and planning of SOCA work.
	The SOCA  (b) transition costs are identified by SOCA as being £33.5 million during 2006-07; £8 million being related to one-off costs and £25.5 million of recurrent costs.

Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when sections 71 to 74 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 came into effect; and how many times a judge has made an order pursuant to these sections.

Vernon Coaker: Sections 71 to 74 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 were brought into effect on 1 April 2006 by means of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (Commencement No. 5 and Transitional and Transitory Provisions and Savings) Order 2006 [SI 2006/378 (C.9)]. Central figures are not kept on how often these provisions have been used.

Standford Hill Prison

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many prisoners absconded from HMP Standford Hill in each year since 1992;
	(2)  how many prisoners who have absconded from HMP Standford Hill were not recaptured and returned in each year since 1992;
	(3)  how many prisoners, returned to HMP Standford Hill having absconded, were dealt with under prison disciplinary procedures in each year since 1987.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 28 March 2007
	 The following table sets out the number of absconds that have occurred from Standford Hill prison in each financial year since 1995-96. It is not possible to provide data for previous years as there are no central records prior to 1995-96. Data for the current financial year are provisional and subject to further validation as part of the in-year and final end of year validation process.
	The prison service is currently developing a mechanism for collating recapture data. At the moment the only way of providing this information is for every prison to interrogate records to determine whether any of Standford Hill's absconders were subsequently received in any other prison following recapture and what disciplinary action, in addition to being returned to closed conditions, was taken. This could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Absconds f rom Standford Hill p rison 
			   Number 
			 1995-96 50 
			 1996-97 71 
			 1997-98 35 
			 1998-99 40 
			 1999-00 43 
			 2000-01 29 
			 2001-02 37 
			 2002-03 83 
			 2003-04 89 
			 2004-05 39 
			 2005-06 58 
			 2006-07(1) 32 
			 (1 )Data for the current financial year includes absconds from 1 April 2006 to 28 February 2007

Women's Prisons

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many UK institutions held adult female prisoners in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many prison places were available for adult female prisoners in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Home Secretary is responsible only for prisons in England and Wales. Responsibility for prisons in Scotland and Northern Ireland lies with the Scottish Assembly and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland respectively.
	The following table shows the number of prisons in England and Wales that held adult women prisoners in June each year since 1992.
	
		
			   Number of prisons 
			 1992 12 
			 1993 12 
			 1994 12 
			 1995 13 
			 1996 14 
			 1997 15 
			 1998 17 
			 1999 16 
			 2000 16 
			 2001 17 
			 2002 19 
			 2003 19 
			 2004 19 
			 2005 19 
			 2006 16 
		
	
	The number of prison places available for adult women prisoners in each year since 1992 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Adult female CNA( 1)  places( 2) 
			 1992 1,765 
			 1993 1,782 
			 1994 1,731 
			 1995 1,928 
			 1996 2,028 
			 1997 2,515 
			 1998 2,829 
			 1999 2,899 
			 2000 3,092 
			 2001 3,275 
			 2002 4,063 
			 2003 4,225 
			 2004 4,440 
			 2005 4,604 
			 2006 4,457 
			 (1) CNA—Certified Normal Accommodation, or uncrowded capacity, is the Prison Service's own measure of accommodation. (2) Operational capacity figures for adult female prisons only are not available. Operational capacity is determined for the whole prison, and cannot be sub-divided for different population groups, such as adult female prisoners.

Licensed Premises: Safety Measures

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on the use of plastic glasses in licensed premises.

Vernon Coaker: Other than previous debates in the House and representations made by individual MPs on behalf of their constituents, no specific representations have been made by the drinks industry or other stakeholders on the use of plastic in licensed premises. The Licensing Act 2003 already provides for the police to apply for licence reviews and for conditions to be attached to licences. For example, that the licensed premises should use toughened drinks glasses and bottles. The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 will in due course also provide a new fast track alcohol licence review process that could lead to such conditions being applied in cases of serious crime and disorder. We are also committed to reviewing the Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England that was published in March 2004, later this year.

TREASURY

Occupational Pension Schemes

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the cost of compensating those affected by occupational pension wind-ups.

Edward Balls: The Chancellor meets the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of issues including, in recent weeks the Chancellor's Budget announcement that the Government would triple the long-term money available for the Financial Assistance Scheme from £2.3 billion to £8 billion in cash terms, so that all members of pension schemes that were wound up under-funded due to employer insolvency will receive significantly more assistance from the taxpayer.

G8 Summit

James Gray: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is planning to attend the G8 Summit of Finance Ministers in Germany in 2007.

Edward Balls: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill) earlier today,  Official Report, col. 1636.

Taxation

Michael Fallon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent estimate is of the proportion of income a household on average earnings will spend on taxes in 2007-08.

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent estimate is of the proportion of income a household on average earnings will spend on taxes in 2007-08.

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his most recent estimate is of the proportion of income a household on average earnings will spend on taxes in 2007-08.

Edward Balls: I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the answer given to the hon. Members for Broxbourne (Mr. Walker) and Hammersmith and Fulham (Mr. Hands) earlier today,  Official Report, col. 1619.

Taxation

David Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the burden of taxation following his recent financial statement.

Stephen Timms: Net taxes and national insurance contributions as a proportion of gross domestic product are shown in Chapter C of Budget 2007. The projections for the next five years are broadly unchanged from those in the 2006 pre-Budget report, and remain well below the peaks reached in the early 1980s.

Taxation

Ann Winterton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to redistribute the tax burden.

Edward Balls: The net tax burden faced by a single earner couple with two children on male mean earnings has fallen from 21.2 per cent. in 1997-98 to 20.5 per cent. in 2007-08. After the reforms announced in Budget 2007 the net tax burden faced by this family will fall further to 20.0 per cent. by April 2009. Figures for the same family on half male mean earnings are 2.4 per cent. in 1997-98 falling to -14.6 per cent. by April 2009.

Financial Assistance Scheme

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the net present value is of the additional contribution to the Financial Assistance scheme announced in the Budget.

Edward Balls: The net present value of the additional contribution to the FAS is £1 billion. This represents an extra £5.6 billion when expressed as long-term cash expenditure. The extension more than triples the previous level of support, raising the total long-term cash expenditure on FAS to £8 billion from a previous £2.3 billion, or to £1.8 billion from a previous £830 million in terms of net present value. This is an extremely generous package of support that will ensure that everyone who has lost out will receive the vast majority of the pension they had originally expected to receive, and will benefit an additional 85,000 people.

Tax Credits

Peter Viggers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer In how many cases of tax credit administration the computer system has been incapable of producing a result and the case has been transferred to manual management.

Stephen Timms: Around 34,500 households are currently receiving manual payments representing around half of one per cent. of households currently benefiting from tax credits.
	There have been around 86,000 cases in total to the end of February 2007.

Children's Centres

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what funding he has allocated to children's centres in each of the next five years.

Edward Balls: Budget 2007 announced significant extra funding for Sure Start, childcare and early years over the next spending period. This will amount to at least an additional £340 million by 2010-11 compared with 2007-08 levels—over £1.6 billion by 2010-11. This is in addition to the extra resources that the Government provided at Budget 2007 to meet the commitment in the ten year strategy for childcare to increase the free early education offer to three and four year olds from 12.5 hours to 15 hours by 2010.

Assets

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether  (a) he and  (b) his officials have held discussions with (i) the Financial Services Authority and (ii) representatives from major insurance corporations on the treatment of orphan assets, with particular reference to distribution and reattribution; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Balls: Treasury Ministers and officials hold regular meetings with the Financial Services Authority and representatives of the financial sector on a range of topics. Treasury officials have met representatives of Aviva and with the policyholder advocate appointed to represent policyholder interests. The Treasury also issued a consultation on 29 December 2006 on the role of the policyholder advocate and has received a number of responses. However, day-to-day supervision of reattribution of inherited estate is the responsibility of the Financial Services Authority.

Assets

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to ensure that shareholders in major insurance corporations do not receive dividends based on the release of orphan assets at a higher percentage than on the distribution basis; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Balls: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 29 November 2006,  Official Report , column 729W.

Cost-effective Energy: Households

Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date he assumes the next decade to end; and how he will judge the practical cost-effective energy efficiency potential of each household as referred to in paragraph 7.68 of the Budget 2007 Red Book, HC 342.

John Healey: The Budget set out a series of measures Government are taking to help householders improve their energy efficiency, with the overarching aim that by the end of the next decade—the end of 2017—where practically possible, all homes will have achieved their cost-effective energy efficiency potential.
	Cost-effective action on household energy efficiency refers to those measures that soon pay for themselves in reduced fuel bills for example, this includes where applicable hot water tank insulation, cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, heating controls and draught proofing (see, for example, analysis in the Review of the Sustainability of Existing Buildings, November 2006, available on the Communities and Local Government website).

Customs Officers: Manpower

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many customs officers were employed in the UK in each year since 1995.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of staff in HM Customs and Excise from 1995 to 2005 were published in the tables to the Civil Service Statistics, available in printed form in the House of Commons Library and online at:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/reports/index.asp
	After this time, no statistics are available for HM Customs and Excise as a separate Department, and the figures refer to HM Revenue and Customs.

Departments: Air Pollution

Theresa May: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of  (a) the carbon footprint of his Department,  (b) carbon dioxide emissions from his Department's buildings and  (c) carbon dioxide emissions from air travel by his Department's (i) Ministers and (ii) officials for each year between 1999 and 2006.

John Healey: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave on 7 February 2007,  Official Report , column 1027W, to the hon. Members for St. Albans (Anne Main) and Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling).

Departments: Ministerial Policy Advisors

Theresa May: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions he was accompanied on official business abroad by  (a) a special adviser,  (b) one of the Chief Secretary to the Treasury's special advisers and  (c) a member of the Council of Economic Advisers; and at what cost in each year between 1997 and 2006.

John Healey: Since 1999 the Government have published, on an annual basis, the total costs of all ministerial overseas travel and a list of all visits by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500. Copies of the lists are available in the Library of the House. Information for the financial year 2005-06 was published on 24 July 2006,  Official Report, column 85WS.
	Records for 2005-06 show the Chancellor was accompanied on official business abroad by special advisers or members of the Council of Economic Advisers on eight occasions, and the costs of their overseas travel is included in the annual list of overseas travel by Cabinet Ministers.
	For information on special advisers' overseas travel for years previous to 2005-06 I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Keith Vaz) on 16 March 2006,  Official Report, columns 2411-12W.

Departments: Ministerial Policy Advisors

Theresa May: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the relevant requirement of the Ministerial Code, paragraph 2.11, if he has more than two special advisers.

John Healey: All special advisers are appointed under terms and conditions set out in "Code of Conduct for Special Advisers".
	As set out in the Prime Minister's statement to the House of 24 July 2006 the Chancellor has two paid special advisers.
	The Prime Minister's statement also sets out that the Chancellor has one unpaid special adviser and has appointed a Council of Economic advisers, who are employed on special adviser terms, a commitment in the 1997 Labour party business manifesto. The Council is made up of individual policy experts who will bring their specialist experience to work on the Government's key policy priorities.

Departments: Public Appointments

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the former hon. Members who left Parliament in 2005 who have since been appointed to public bodies by his Department, broken down by party; and who was responsible for making each appointment.

John Healey: The Treasury has not made any such appointments.

Employment

Lynda Waltho: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has to increase employment.

John Healey: The Government's measures to increase employment build on a platform of macro-economic stability and economic growth, and include continued investment in the New Deal, investment in skills and training, welfare reform to help people move from inactivity to work, and the National Minimum Wage and Tax Credits to make work pay. Employment is now at a record high, with over 2.5 million more people in work than in 1997, and the highest employment rate of the G7 economies.

Low Incomes: Housing

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how his Department is working with counterparts in Government on providing more affordable homes.

John Healey: The Government recognise concerns over housing affordability, particularly among first-time buyers, and is acting to alleviate these pressures on various fronts including by tackling supply constraints; bringing forward public sector land for development; doubling the stamp duty threshold; building more social housing; and helping people into home ownership through supporting shared equity schemes. The Treasury is working with Departments across Government in support of this agenda.

Ministerial Visits

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 1 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1494W, on ministerial visits, in which publication the locations of visits by the Economic Secretary to the Treasury in 2005 to 2006 are listed.

Edward Balls: As set out in my answer of 7 February,  Official Report, column 1032W, since 1999 the Government have published information on an annual basis listing overseas travel by Cabinet Ministers costing in excess of £500 and the total cost of all ministerial travel.
	The locations of overseas visits by junior Ministers are not routinely published. However, as stated in my answers of 18 January 2007,  Official R eport, column 1341W and 7 February 2007,  Offic i al Report column 1032W, I can confirm that I visited Israel and the Occupied Territories in December as part of the work Jon Cunliffe and I are leading on opportunities to support economic development to accompany and enhance the Middle East peace process. I can also confirm that I travelled again to the region on 12-13 March for the same purpose.

NHS Finance

Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his reference in his Budget 2007 speech on 21 March 2007 to the £8 billion increase in the national health service budget for England in financial year 2007-08, whether this figure takes account of the private finance initiative debt owed by primary care trusts.

Stephen Timms: As stated in the budget, total NHS spending in England is expected to increase by over £8 billion in 2007-08. NHS organisations are responsible for how they spend their allocations to meet the health needs of their local populations. Where NHS organisations have invested in improved local services they must meet the costs of this investment, whether it is procured through public or private finance, from their allocated budgets.

Office of Government Commerce

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate  (a) the savings delivered to the Exchequer by the activities of the Office of Government Commerce (OCG) in each year since it was established and  (b) the savings made on each OCG programme in each year.

John Healey: The Office of Government Commerce (OGC) reports against two Public Service Agreement targets, and the following tables detail the savings made against these two major programmes.
	 Value for Money
	OGC reports value for money (vfm) gains in central Government civil procurement through improvements in the success rate of programmes and projects and through other commercial initiatives:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   Total vfm gains  Direct Negotiations  Joint Procurement  Reduced process costs  Gateway and other improved contract or asset management 
			 2005-06 2600 806 484 79 1,231 
			 2004-05 2262 677 410 113 1,062 
			 2003-04 2086 655 466 178 787 
			 2002-03 767 542 114 52 59 
			 2001-02 401 220 86 40 55 
			 2000-01 414 304 22 36 52 
		
	
	 The Efficiency Programme
	The 2004 Spending Review set targets for the Government to achieve annual efficiency gains of over £20 billion and gross workforce reductions of more than 84,000
	by 2007-08.
	Progress is as follows:
	
		
			   Efficiency Gains (£ billion)  Comments 
			 2005-2006 - year one of programme 9.8 (by 31 March 2006) Figure published in HMT CSR 07 document (13 July 2006) 
			 2006-2007 - year two of programme (1)15.5 (by 31 Dec 2006) Figure announced in budget 2007 
			 (1) Cumulative figure covering first 21 months of programme.

Planning Gain Supplement

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the timetable is for the  (a) consultation process,  (b) further publications,  (c) introduction of legislation and  (d) ratification and implementation in relation to planning gain supplement.

John Healey: The 2006 pre-Budget report announced that the Government will move forward with the implementation of the planning-gain supplement (PGS) if, after further consultation, it continues to be deemed workable and effective. In response to views expressed by consultation respondents on specific policy areas, the Government have published three further consultation papers on elements of the design of PGS and the new approach to planning obligations. The consultations are:
	Valuing planning gain: a planning-gain supplement consultation, HM Revenue and Customs;
	Paying PGS: a planning-gain supplement technical consultation HM Revenue and Customs; and
	Changes to planning obligations: a planning-gain supplement consultation, Department for Communities and Local Government.
	The period of consultation on these documents lasts until 28 February 2007 and copies of the consultations are available in the Library of the House and from departmental websites.
	The Government also announced at the 2006 pre-Budget report that a workable and effective PGS would not be introduced earlier than 2009.

Public Sector: Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimates are of spending on public service pensions as a share of gross domestic product in each year from 2005-06 to 2050-51; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The latest public service pension projections covering a 50-year horizon were published by HM Treasury in the 2006 Long-Term Public Finance report, table 5.1. The report shows that spending as a share of GDP is projected to be very stable over the coming decades, fluctuating between 1.8 per cent. in 2015-16 to 2 per cent. of GDP in 2055-56. The report publishes projections on a 10-year basis.

Tax Allowances: Pensioners

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will hold discussions with HM Revenue and Customs on changing the personal allowance threshold for pensioners.

Edward Balls: At PBR, the level of the special age-related income tax allowances for 2007-08 was announced. These were increased in line with inflation to £7,550 for those aged 65-74 and £7,690 for those aged 75 and over. This year's Budget announced that the age-related income tax allowances will rise by £1,180 above indexation in April 2008 and that by April 2011 no pensioner aged 75 or over will pay any tax until their income reaches £10,000 a year.

Working Tax Credit

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many families are entitled to working tax credit, broken down by region and nation; and how many and what proportion of eligible families are claiming the credit;
	(2)  how many families in Stroud constituency are entitled to claim working tax credit; and how many and what proportion of such families are claiming the credit.

Edward Balls: Estimates of child and working tax credit take-up rates for 2004-05 are available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-take-up.htm
	Take-up rates at United Kingdom level are shown in table 1. Take-up rates for working families with children at country and regional level are shown in table 9.
	Take-up rate estimates are not available at parliamentary constituency level.

Youth Sport Trust

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he expects the National Youth Volunteering Organisation to play a role in administering funds for the Youth Sport Trust programme he announced on 7 February.

Edward Miliband: I have been asked to reply.
	The Youth Sport Trust programme is being funded by v following their successful application to v's grants 1 funding round. The Youth Sport Trust programme aims to provide technical coaching, such as refereeing and umpiring, to 16-19 year olds, creating over one thousand volunteering opportunities.
	As the grant provider, v will monitor the grants made by the Youth Sport Trust, ensuring the funds are spent to agreed quality standards, deliverables, timescales and budget.

NORTHERN IRELAND

A2

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what procedures are in place to manage traffic on the A2 Bangor to Belfast road following accidents on that road; what assessment he has made as to whether these procedures were followed following the accident there on 16 March; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: During the period 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2006 there have been 119 road traffic collisions on the A2 Belfast to Bangor road, (between the junctions of Knocknagoney road and Abbey street/Brunswick road, Bangor). The vast majority of these collisions have been dealt with causing minimum disruption to the motoring public.
	The nature of this route is such that there is almost constant congestion during rush hour; unfortunately any collision or road closure inevitably results in that congestion becoming extreme. The options available to relieve this route are limited and
	incapable of coping efficiently with diversions.
	A serious road traffic collision occurred on the A2 Bangor to Belfast road at approximately 7.45 am on 16 March 2007.
	The collision, which was close to the Culloden Hotel, involved four vehicles and blocked both Belfast bound and Bangor bound traffic lanes. In this regard it was necessary to implement a closure of the road in both directions.
	All available police resources were tasked to the area to deal with the accident investigation, assist with the casualties and manage the necessary diversions to keep traffic disruption to a minimum.
	In addition the Northern Ireland fire and rescue service and the Northern Ireland ambulance service attended the scene.
	Debris and a petrol spillage resulted on the road that required the attendance of DRD Roads Service before the route could be safely re-opened.
	Police reopened the road on a phased basis as soon as was practically possible, with one Bangor bound traffic lane being reopened initially, followed by the second Bangor bound traffic lane, followed by both Belfast bound traffic lanes.
	Full use was made of local media to advise motorists of the incident and text alerts were circulated to members of a local community information network scheme.
	Police in North Down are reviewing this incident and a further serious road traffic collision, which occurred in the same vicinity to ascertain if there are any learning points.
	The procedure to deal with any road traffic collision will be dependent on the prevailing circumstances and the PSNI made every effort to deal with the incident on 16 March 2007 in a professional, effective and efficient manner and return the area to normality as quickly as possible.
	Any disruption to traffic flow and inconvenience to motorists is regrettable; however the primary policing objectives of the protection of life and property must be the paramount and overriding considerations in response to this type of incident.

Community Support Officers

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many police community support officers he expects to be employed in each police district command unit area following their introduction in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: The deployment of PCSOs across police district command units is an operational matter for the chief constable. I am advised by the chief constable that a number of options for the deployment of PCSOs are currently being discussed but no decision on this has yet been taken.

Public Appointments: Former Members

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the former hon. Members who left Parliament in 2005 who have since been appointed to public bodies by his Department, broken down by party; and who was responsible for making each appointment.

David Hanson: Information about the political activity of appointees is recorded and publicised in accordance with the independent Commissioner for Public Appointments' Code of Practice. This shows that the following hon. Member who left Parliament in 2005 has since been appointed to two public bodies. The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Name  Party  Appointing Authority 
			 Mr. Roy Beggs Senior Ulster Unionist Party Re-appointed on 1 July 2005 to the North Eastern Education and Library Board by the Department of Education (DE) with the approval of the appropriate Minister 
			 Mr. Roy Beggs Senior Ulster Unionist Party Appointed on 20 January 2006 to the Drainage Council for Northern Ireland by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) with the approval of the appropriate Minister

Elections: Fraud

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of electoral malpractice were reported by the police to the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland in each year since 2000.

Paul Goggins: The Director of Public Prosecutions received reports of eight offences relating to electoral malpractice from the PSNI since 2000:
	three offences in 2005 (one defendant);
	two offences in 2002 (one defendant);
	one offence in 2001 (one defendant);
	two offences in 2000 (one defendant).

Elections: Proof of Identity

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the number of people turned away from polling stations in each constituency in Northern Ireland on 7 March for not having the correct identification.

David Hanson: The following table provides a breakdown by constituency of how many people were turned away from the polling station for not producing the correct photographic identification at the Assembly elections held on 7 March. It also provides a further breakdown of the types of invalid identification which were produced.
	The total number of people turned away at polling stations for having the incorrect identification was 4,161 out of a total of 700,699 who turned up to vote (0.6 per cent.). It is not known whether these people returned with the correct identification. This compares with the 3,493 out of 702,249 people turned away for the same reason for the 2003 Assembly election.
	
		
			  Constituency  No documents  Out of date Driving Licence  Out of date Passport  Out of date Smart Pass  Works pass  Allowance book  Medical card  Student I.D  Foreign I.D  Other( 1)  Totals 
			 Belfast West 25 47 84 20 24 7 10 29 — 22 268 
			 Belfast East 31 43 35 16 6 1 5 2 3 13 155 
			 Belfast North 42 33 48 17 8 — 6 10 2 30 196 
			 Belfast South 33 49 33 12 9 — 3 3 7 29 178 
			 Strangford 25 57 30 7 5 — 1 3 — 28 156 
			 North Down 23 35 16 2 1 1 4 1 — 27 110 
			 North Antrim 42 103 38 11 5 — 8 2 1 50 260 
			 Mid Ulster 21 143 28 8 12 1 4 11 4 63 295 
			 Upper Bann 23 87 53 22 10 3 9 5 11 48 271 
			 Newry and Armagh 54 162 82 24 9 1 9 4 6 62 413 
			 Lagan Valley 29 70 33 21 9 — 3 7 6 23 201 
			 South Down 53 128 34 12 13 1 8 2 — 22 273 
			 Foyle 25 82 64 16 14 — 3 4 1 25 234 
			 East Londonderry 26 61 30 21 13 1 4 2 — 39 197 
			 West Tyrone 31 52 48 30 11 — 7 7 2 39 227 
			 Fermanagh and S. Tyrone 40 185 49 16 9 1 8 8 16 55 387 
			 East Antrim 21 52 17 18 6 — 2 5 2 31 154 
			 South Antrim 30 67 28 20 8 1 3 1 3 25 186 
			 Totals 574 1456 750 293 172 18 97 106 64 631 4161 
			 (1 )Includes store cards, photocopied documents, HMCR documents etc.

Energy Policy Progress Review

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in relation to the Energy Review.

Maria Eagle: Following on from the Energy Review of July 2006, "The Energy Challenge", the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is currently preparing a UK Energy White Paper. DTI has invited input from Northern Ireland on how the local administration is contributing to implementation of UK Energy Policy and the Department of Enterprise Trade and Investment (DETI), has provided information on the current position and also future plans.

Invest Northern Ireland

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much assistance was offered to existing companies in the Limavady borough council area by Invest Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

Maria Eagle: Over the past three years (to end of March 2006), Invest NI has offered £14,957,383 of assistance to existing companies in the Limavady borough council area. This has been broken down in the following table.
	
		
			   £ 
			   Assistance 
			 2003-04 4,924,670 
			 2004-05 423,114 
			 2005-06 9,609,599 
			 Total 14,957,383

Police Service of Northern Ireland: Telephone Services

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much the Police Service of Northern Ireland spent on external consultants in relation to improving call handling in each of the last five years; and what assessment he has made of the effects of such expenditure.

Paul Goggins: The Police Service of Northern Ireland expenditure on external consultants in relation to improving call handling in the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			  Table 1: External expenditure on consultancy in relation to improving call handling 
			  Financial year  External consultancy (£) 
			 2002-03 7,000 
			 2003-04 — 
			 2004-05 31,489 
			 2005-06 30,062 
			 2006-07 (To date) — 
			 Total 68,551 
		
	
	These costs were incurred by the PSNI, through its Information Management Steering Group, in establishing a Call Management project appraising how best to take forward call management within the PSNI over the next 20 years.
	The spend represents value for money in effectively delivering the outline specification for the project in line with Recommendation 93 of The Report of the Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland (Patten Report) requires the PSNI to prepare and deliver an IT strategy that will
	". .deliver fully integrated technology systems that are readily accessible to all staff, and should take advantage of the best analytical and communications systems currently available".
	PSNI expenditure in call management is of the order of £40 million per annum. The call centre handling project is in the early stages of business appraisal.

Regeneration

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what regeneration projects received funding from his Department in each of the last six years; and at what cost.

David Hanson: Regeneration (both urban and rural) has been funded by NI Departments through a number of programmes and projects as shown in the following table. Figures are presented showing resource and capital expenditure. For the first five years these figures are actual outturn (2001 to 2006), while projected expenditure is used for the current financial year (2006-07). It would have been possible to provide a response detailing each individual project only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Regeneration expenditure 2001 to 2007 
			  £000 
			   2001-02  2002-03  2003-04 
			  Project/funding stream  Res  Cap  Res  Cap  Res  Cap 
			  OFMDFM   
			 ILEX — — — — 146 — 
			 Maze/Long Kesh — — — — 473 — 
			  — — — — 619 — 
			
			  DSD—Urban regeneration   
			 Belfast Regeneration Office 6,766 — 5,549 879 4,640 — 
			 Londonderry Regeneration Initiative 87 — 1,428 260 904 — 
			 Expenditure by other Departments 838 1,466 881 203 495 13 
			 Urban Development Grants — 8,062 — 3,565 — 1,678 
			 CRISP/CERS — 4,606 — 2,354 — 1,954 
			 Environmental Improvement 1,743 — 1,260 — 1,468 — 
			 Laganside 6,631 — 6,745 189 6,166 42 
			 ILEX — — — — 210 — 
			 Omagh Task Force 44 — 45 — 62 — 
			 Travelling People (DC Grant) — 44 — 12 — 19 
			 Neighbourhood Renewal — — — — 727 2,881 
			 Areas at Risk — — — — — — 
			 Urban Post Offices — — — — — — 
			 Festivals — — — — — — 
			 BSP Measure 3.1 2,635 — 1,427 — 1,408 — 
			 Peace II Measure 2.11 26 — 25 — 5,778 — 
			 Urban II 14 — 167 — 1,205 — 
			  18,784 14,178 17,527 7,462 23,062 3,706 
			
			  DARD—Rural regeneration   
			 Battery Harbour Project — 9 — — — — 
			 Glenariff Forest Walkway (repairs0 — — — — — — 
			 Leisure/Tourism Development — — — — — — 
			 NI Rural Development programme 5,898 — 3,343 — 13,102 — 
			 S. Down Fishing Villages — — — — — — 
			  5,898 9 3,343 — 13,102 460 
			 Total 24,682 14,187 20,869 7,462 36,784 4,166 
		
	
	
		
			  £000 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			  Project/funding stream  Res  Cap  Res  Cap  Res  Cap 
			  OFMDFM   
			 ILEX 948 — 1,092 — 1,352 — 
			 Maze/Long Kesh 1,093 — 492 — 1,869 1,000 
			  2,041 — 1,584 — 3,221 1,000 
			
			  DSD—Urban regeneration   
			 Belfast Regeneration Office 3,210 — 1,155 1,604 245 1,251 
			 Londonderry Regeneration Initiative 193 — 91 — — — 
			 Expenditure by other Departments 579 — 1,565 1,051 1,346 1,728 
			 Urban Development Grants — 923 — 1,148 — 2,395 
			 CRISP/CERS — 1,343 — 557 — 1,297 
			 Environmental Improvement 2,000 — 1,320 3,443 1,100 5,799 
			 Laganside 5,313 1,819 5,300 100 6,503 1,193 
			 ILEX 641 — 675 — 1,045 — 
			 Omagh Task Force 39 — 46 — 79 — 
			 Travelling People (DC Grant) — — — — — — 
			 Neighbourhood Renewal 2,881 — 7,486 417 10,960 4,670 
			 Areas at Risk — — — — 324 — 
			 Urban Post Offices — 50 — 44 — 50 
			 Festivals — — 274 — — — 
			 BSP Measure 3.1 978 — — — — — 
			 Peace II Measure 2.11 2,848 — 3,468 — 3,022 — 
			 Urban II 1,667 — 1,766 — 2,126 — 
			  18,393 4,135 22,965 8,364 26,749 18,383 
			
			  DARD—Rural regeneration   
			 Battery Harbour Project — — — — — — 
			 Glenariff Forest Walkway (repairs0 — — — — — — 
			 Leisure/Tourism Development — — — 60 — — 
			 NI Rural Development programme 16,787 3,880 17,703 4,776 13,567 5,002 
			 S. Down Fishing Villages — — — — 292 374 
			  16,787 3,880 17,703 4,836 13,859 5,376 
			 Total 37,221 8,015 42,253 13,200 43,830 24,759 
		
	
	In addition, a number of projects have also been funded through the Department for Social Development from EU funds which have been recorded in calendar years. Under the Urban 1 funding stream a total of £954,000 was paid to projects in 2001 and £87,000 was paid in 2002. Under the Peace I programme, a total of £25,471,000 was paid to regeneration projects in Northern Ireland during the period 1 January 1994 to 31 December 2001. Under the EU Physical, Social and Environmental Programme (PSEP) a total of £34,000 was paid in 2001.

Tunes Plateau Wind Farm

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects a decision on a proposed offshore wind farm at Tunes Plateau to be made.

Maria Eagle: No application has been received in relation to consents that would be needed for the development of a wind farm at Tunes Plateau; it is therefore not possible for me to predict a timeframe for a decision.

Water Service: Standards

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many water leaks were reported to the Water Service in each of the last three years; and what the average length of time taken to repair water leaks was over the same period.

David Cairns: The Chief Executive of Water Service (Mrs. Katharine Bryan) has been asked to write to the hon. Lady in response to this question.
	 Letter from Mrs. Katharine Bryan, dated 28 March 2007:
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about how many water leaks were reported to the Water Service in each of the last three years; and what the average length of time taken to repair water leaks was over the same period (128114). I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Water Service.
	The number of water leaks reported to Water Service from 2003/04 to 2006/07 is set out below.
	
		
			   Number of leaks reported 
			 2003-04 (1)9,845 
			 2004-05 10,658 
			 2005-06 10,289 
			 2006-07 10,176 
			 (1) The 2003-04 figure is an estimate as the information for that year was not captured in the same format as the other years. 
		
	
	Water Service logs all reported defects in the public water mains and monitors progress through a Work Management System. Repairs are undertaken by a combination of in-house resources and approved contractors and the times taken to complete repairs are monitored to ensure they comply with set targets. These range from 2 to 7 days, depending on the nature of the defect, and they are normally achieved. Exceptions arise as a result of restrictions imposed by the location and nature of the defect. Unfortunately, Water Service does not specifically record average timescales for repairing reported leaks and the information requested could only be extracted manually at disproportionate cost.

Water Service: Standards

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what targets are in place to cut the amount of water lost through leakage in Northern Ireland.

David Cairns: The Chief Executive of Water Service (Mrs. Katharine Bryan) has been asked to write to the hon. Lady in response to this question.
	 Letter from Katharine Bryan, dated 28 March 2007:
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about what targets are in place to cut the amount of water lost through leakage in Northern Ireland (128136). I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Water Service.
	Leakage reduction in a network of approximately 26,500 kilometres of water mains and around 6 million joins in the network is a complex issue that requires significant planning and, to this end, Water Service has in place an active Leakage Reduction Action Plan containing phased annual reduction targets. The targets from 2002/03 are set out in the table below:
	
		
			  Megalitres per day 
			   Target  Achieved 
			 2002-03 291 291 
			 2003-04 233 231 
			 2004-05 205 203 
			 2005-06 179 178 
			 2006-07 169 On target 
			 2007-08 157 (1)— 
			 2008-09 146 (1)— 
			 2009-10 136 (1)— 
			 (1) Subject to board approval. 
		
	
	Since March 2003, Water Service has reduced leakage from 291 Megalitres per day (Ml/d) to 178 Megalitres per day in March 2006 and is on target to achieve 169 Ml/d by 31 March this year. We are currently undertaking a review of the "economic level of leakage", however, it is expected that the existing level of 165 Ml/d will be achieved by March 2008. The economic level of leakage is defined as the point at which it would cost more to make further reductions than to produce the water from another source.
	The targets from 2007/08 are provisional and subject to ratification by the Board of Northern Ireland Water.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Broadband: EC Action

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the EU is taking  (a) to advance broadband coverage in member states and  (b) to promote the take up of mobile phone technology.

Margaret Hodge: With our strong support the EU is working hard to create a more dynamic and internationally competitive single market for broadband and mobile services accessible to all across Europe. Its current work is largely through the i2010 programme for the information society which was developed and agreed during the UK's presidency, came into effect on 1 January 2006 and lasts until 2010 with a mid-term review in 2008. The i2010 programme includes measures to improve the regulatory framework for electronic communications services like broadband and mobile as well as measures to promote innovation and inclusion including take-up in the less developed regions of Europe. On broadband coverage the Commission is working with a wide range of regional and other interests on the proposals in its Communication last year, "Bridging the Broadband Gap", and has been working with member states and regional authorities to enable public funding of broadband in rural and other areas in accordance with state aid rules. On mobile the EU is also taking action to reduce charges for roaming between national mobile networks.
	The proportion of mobile phone subscriptions relative to population in the EU is 93 per cent. one of the highest in the world. In several member states, including the UK, there are more mobile phones than people. A comparable figure for broadband is not available for the whole of the EU. In the 15 older member states it averaged 16 per cent. last year compared with 19 per cent. in Japan, 19.2 per cent. in the USA and 19.4 per cent. in the UK.

Companies: Environmental Protection

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department plans to monitor the  (a) effects and  (b) costs of the duties upon directors in the Companies Act 2006 in relation to social and environmental issues.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 14 March 2007
	The Government will review the impacts of the Companies Act 2006 on duties of directors, including the references to social and environmental issues, as part of its review of the overall benefits and costs of the Companies Act 2006. This review will form part of the normal regulatory assessment process, consistent with better regulation principles. The review will involve close engagement with stakeholders who have an interest in the effects of the Act.

Departmental Gifts

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the gifts received by special advisers in his Department and declared to his Department in 2005-06; on what date each gift was given; what the estimated cost was of each gift; what was given; and what the name of the donor was.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 1 February 2007
	Any gifts received are handled in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Service Code and the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers.

Departmental Policy Advisers

Alan Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what notices of external employment were given by special advisers in his Department in each of the last two years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 1 February 2007
	The rules for civil servants, including special advisers, who wish to take up other employment in addition to their civil service duties are set out in section 4.3 of the civil service management code. Such information is not normally made public.

Departments: Advertising

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much his Department spent on  (a) sponsoring newspaper and publication supplements and  (b) funding advertorials in newspapers and publications in the last year for which figures are available; and what the topic was of each.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Details of such expenditure are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Digital Switchover

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of relative energy use of  (a) digital and  (b) analogue broadcast receiving devices.

Margaret Hodge: The Government through their Market Transformation Programme (MTP) have analysed the performances of over 630 televisions sold in 2004, 2005, and 2006 and have concluded that the difference in energy consumption between analogue and integrated digital televisions (IDTVs) is negligible.
	The annual energy consumption of a television varies significantly with screen size and television type, and defining what constitutes a 'typical' television is difficult. However, for a 32in. widescreen cathode-ray television, MTP estimates that the annual energy consumption will be 292 kWh, and 310 kWh for a LCD screen of the same size. A 42in. (a typical size for this technology) Plasma TV will consume 746 kWh per year.
	The total energy consumption of all UK televisions has risen in recent years, but this is not as a result of the presence of integrated digital tuners but a function of increased TV ownership, the trend towards larger screen sizes, and the migration away from cathode-ray televisions to other technologies.
	MTP does not currently have sufficient information to provide a comparison between the performance of analogue and digital (DAB) radios. However, MTP has identified that many portable DAB radios are supplied with external power supply units which are less efficient—and therefore consume more energy—than those sold with comparable analogue products. MTP will be working with retailers and manufacturers to seek to address this issue.
	As these are relatively new products, there are likely to be efficiency gains as the products mature.

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many postdoctoral fellowships were awarded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council in financial year  (a) 2004-05,  (b) 2005-06 and  (c) 2006-07; and how many are budgeted for the financial year 2007-08.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is as follows.
	
		
			   Fellowships 
			  Postdoctoral fellowships (0-3 years postdoc. experience)  
			 2004-05 19 
			 2005-06 23 
			 2006-07 31 
			   
			  Advanced research fellowships (3-10 years postdoc experience)  
			 2004-05 40 
			 2005-06 50 
			 2006-07 51 
			   
			  Senior research fellowships  
			 2004-05 3 
			 2005-06 6 
			 2006-07 6 
			   
			  Statistics mobility fellowships  
			 2006-07 6 
		
	
	EPSRC also support the following fellowships in conjunction with other organisations:
	 Hodge fellowships
	Two one-year fellowships a year with and through the Institut des Hautes Etudes Scientifiques.
	
		
			  Royal Academy of Engineering (postdoctoral research fellowships) 
			   Number 
			 2004-05 8 
			 2005-06 10 
			 2006-07 8 
		
	
	
		
			  Royal Society industry fellowships 
			   £ 
			 2004-05 200,000 
			 2005-06 200,000 
			 2006-07 250,000 
		
	
	The number of awards funded vary each year.
	EPSRC are currently reviewing its support of fellowships. The outcome of this review will be known by the end of May 2007. Therefore, the total number of awards is not available for 2007-08.

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding was allocated to the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to fund postdoctoral fellowships in financial years  (a) 2004-05,  (b) 2005-06 and  (c) 2006-07; and what the budget is for the financial year 2007-08.

Malcolm Wicks: The information is as follows.
	
		
			   £ 
			  Postdoctoral fellowships (0-3 years postdoc .  experience)  
			 2004-05 2,408,000 
			 2005-06 3,244,000 
			 2006-07 7,064,000 
			   
			  Advanced research fellowships (3-10 years postdoc .  experience)  
			 2004-05 9,896,000 
			 2005-06 13,374,000 
			 2006-07 26,276,000 
			   
			  Senior research fellowships  
			 2004-05 1,011,000 
			 2005-06 2,321,000 
			 2006-07 5,097,000 
			   
			  Statistics mobility fellowships  
			 2006-07 1,378,000 
		
	
	EPSRC also support the following fellowships in conjunction with other organisations:
	
		
			   £ 
			  Royal Academy of Engineering  
			 2004-05 1,055,000 
			 2005-06 1,317,000 
			 2006-07 1,650,000 
			   
			  Royal Society industry fellowships  
			 2004-05 200,000 
			 2005-06 200,000 
			 2006-07 200,000 
		
	
	The number of awards funded vary each year.
	 Hodge fellowships
	Two one-year fellowships a year with and through the Institut des Hautes Etudes Scientifiques.
	EPSRC are currently reviewing its support of fellowships. The outcome of this review will be known by the end of May 2007. Therefore, the total budget is not available for EPSRC fellowship schemes for 2007-08.

Programme Making and Special Events Sector

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate his Department has made of the value of the programme making and special events sector to the UK economy; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: We have not made an estimate of the value of the programme making and special events sector to the UK economy, but we are conscious of its importance.
	The Office of Communications (Ofcom), the independent regulator of communications, is responsible for managing civil radio spectrum in the UK, including the allocation and licensing of frequency bands used by the programme making and special events (PMSE) sector. As part of its digital dividend review, Ofcom published a consultation paper on the Ofcom website (www.ofcom.org.uk) in December 2006. The consultation period is open until 20 March, during which time all interested parties, including those with a specific interest in PMSE requirements, are encouraged to make their views known.
	They have received significant interest in their consultation from the programme making and special events (PMSE) sector and are planning a farther consultation on this matter in the near future.
	I do understand that the PMSE sector is one of the current users of the DDR spectrum which is being required to change its use and that this has cost implications. As such, a period of transition may be necessary, and fully understanding the impact of any changes on the sector is vital. Officials have, and will continue to engage with stakeholders and Ofcom following the consultation. By exploring the issues, and working together, we hope that a solution can be found which meets the public interest and ensures that the PMSE sector can access appropriate spectrum fit for purpose.

Programme Making and Special Events Sector

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from the programme making and special events sector regarding the digital dividend review.

Margaret Hodge: I have received representations from the organisation Equity. The Office of Communications (Ofcom), the independent regulator of communications, is responsible for managing civil radio spectrum in the UK, including the allocation and licensing of frequency bands used by the programme making and special events (PMSE) sector. Any representation on Ofcom's spectrum consultations is a matter for the regulator; any received by the Department will be passed on to the chief executive officer.
	As part of its digital dividend review, Ofcom published a consultation paper on the Ofcom website (www.ofcom.org.uk) in December 2006. The consultation period is open until 20 March, during which time all interested parties, including those with a specific interest in PMSE requirements, are encouraged to make their views known.
	They have received significant interest in their consultation from the programme making and special events (PMSE) sector and are planning a further consultation on this matter in the near future.
	I do understand that the PMSE sector is one of the current users of the DDR spectrum which is being required to change its use and that this has cost implications. As such, a period of transition may be necessary, and fully understanding the impact of any changes on the sector is vital. Officials have, and will continue to engage with stakeholders and Ofcom following the consultation. By exploring the issues, and working together, we hope that a solution can be found which meets the public interest and ensures that the PMSE sector can access appropriate spectrum fit for purpose.

Incinerators

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on waste incineration.

Malcolm Wicks: Officials of both Departments collaborate routinely and on a wide range of issues. These have included waste incineration matters.

IPPR

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding  (a) the North West Development Agency,  (b) one NorthEast,  (c) the London Development Agency,  (d) the East of England Development Agency and  (e) the South East England Development Agency provided to (i) the IPPR and (ii) IPPR Trading Ltd in each year since their creation.

Margaret Hodge: The following tables show North West Regional Development Agency's, One North East's, London Development Agency's, East of England Development Agency's and South East of England Development Agency's payments to the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), their total grant in aid budget and the proportion of payments to IPPR as a percentage of their total budget from 2002-03 to the present date. I am informed that no payments have been made to the Institute for Public Policy Research Trading Limited by these RDAs.
	
		
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			   Total budget (£ million)  IPPR (£000)  Percentage  Total budget (£ million)  IPPR (£000)  Percentage  Total budget (£ million)  IPPR (£000)  Percentage 
			 North West regional Development Agency 274 0 0 309 0 0 367 20 0.005 
			 One North East 193 0 0 223 20 0.008 227 5 0.002 
			 London Development Agency 295 18 0.006 317 43 0.01 328 0 0 
			 East of England Development Agency 88 0 0 80 0 0 84 9.5 0.011 
			 South East England Development Agency 112 0 0 136 0 0 110 0 0 
		
	
	
		
			   2005-06  2006-07 
			   Total budget (£ million)  IPPR (£000)  Percentage  Total budget (£ million)  IPPR (£000)  Percentage 
			 North West regional Development Agency 382 00 0 400 22 0.005 
			 One North East 240 0 0 251 65 0.025 
			 London Development Agency 373 10 0.002 391 0 0 
			 East of England Development Agency 129 5 0.003 134 5 0.003 
			 South East England Development Agency 157 1.6 0.001 163 5 0.003

Nuclear Power

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 5 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1778W, on nuclear power, which stakeholders  (a) he,  (b) departmental Ministers and  (c) officials have met to discuss the use of nuclear energy in the United Kingdom since the publication of the Energy Review Report.

Malcolm Wicks: Government are taking forward development of the policy proposals set out in the Energy Review Report and is preparing for a further consultation on nuclear power. Formal and informal discussions with stakeholders have been a key part of informing this work. We expect to publish the Energy White Paper and the new nuclear consultation in May.

Patents: EU Action

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with EU counterparts on the European Community patent.

Malcolm Wicks: UK Ministers and officials have had ongoing discussions with the European Commission and others, following the consultation launched by the Commission in 2006 on the Community Patent and other initiatives to improve the European Patent system. Negotiations on a Community Patent have been ongoing for a number of decades, and have been complicated by questions around language and jurisdiction. As the European Commission Consultation in 2006 noted, there appears no imminent prospect of achieving the unanimity required in order to establish a Community Patent. The consultation aimed to find steps which could be taken to improve the European patent system in the near future, which would help us to make progress towards the long term goal of a Community Patent. We anticipate that the Commission will publish its Communication on those next steps in the next few months.

Phoenix Holdings: MG Rover

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in his Department's inquiry into Phoenix Holdings' involvement in MG Rover; what the costs to all parties involved have been to date; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The Companies Act Inspection is being conducted independently of the DTI. The inspectors are not constrained by any Government target date for completion as the Government do not want to impede the thoroughness of the Inspection. The Inspectors do intend to complete this inspection as quickly as possible, consistent with a proper and fair process. The total costs of the inspection to the Department as at 28 February 2007 were £6,557,614 plus VAT of £1,207,257 and disbursements of £340,999.

Post Offices: Closures

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will postpone the abolition of Postwatch until the end of the consultation on the Post Office closure process.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Discussions between Post Office Ltd and Postwatch are in progress and we expect to set out Postwatch's role in developing local area closure proposals when our decision is announced in May.
	The Government have included specific provision in the Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Bill to ensure that the new National Consumer Council has a statutory role, as Postwatch does now, in advising on the number and location of post offices and their accessibility to users. The provisions in the Bill are designed to strengthen consumer representation in the postal services sector.
	We are working closely with Postwatch, Energywatch and the National Consumer Council to ensure that the new arrangements are implemented effectively and with the minimum of disruption to consumers.

Radio Frequencies: Licensing

Dai Havard: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on  (a) the proposal by the EC Radio Spectrum Committee to allow the refarming of 2G spectrum for 3G use and  (b) how to address historic spectrum allocations in implementing such a policy in the UK.

Margaret Hodge: The matter is the responsibility of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the Chief Executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the Chief Executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of the Houses.

Research Councils: Finance

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the impact on the research councils' budgets of not authorising them to utilise end-of-year flexibility in 2007-08;
	(2)  what steps he plans to take to elicit the necessary authorisation from HM Treasury to allow the research councils to utilise end of year flexibility during 2007-08.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answers 28 March 2007
	The Department of Trade and Industry continues to have access to End Year Flexibility in the normal way and this will continue to be available to cascade down to Research Councils. My officials are in discussion with Treasury officials about drawdown of End Year Flexibility in 2007-08. An early consultation by DTI officials with the Research Councils has provided robust and realistic forecast spending requirements for 2007-08.

Science and Technology Budget

Andrew Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the science budget is for 2007-08; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Darling: The science and technology budget this year is £3.4 billion, having doubled since 1997, and last week in the Budget my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a further rise in spending to £3.9 billion in 2010-11; the figure of £4.9 billion referred to on 27 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1358, is incorrect and is in fact £3.9 billion.

Wind Power: Gwynt y Mor

David Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to announce his decision on the application by Npower Renewables for consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 for the development of the Gwynt y Mor wind farm.

Malcolm Wicks: I cannot give a firm indication of when my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will be in a position to reach a decision on the Gwynt y Mor consent application. The applicant is currently engaged in a programme of discussions with stakeholders about issues raised in response to the application. No decision will be taken until the applicant has responded formally to the Department on these matters.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Ascension Island

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports she has received from officials following their visit to Ascension Island in March.

Geoff Hoon: Officials reported their discussions with the Ascension Island Council on new policies, including housing, to my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, on 19 March. Officials noted that it was difficult to reach agreement on some issues, but that agreement was reached on much of the detail of the draft housing policy; and that discussions concluded with an acknowledgement that there was more work required.

Ascension Island

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts are being made to engage with those living on Ascension Island on the future plans for the island.

Geoff Hoon: Before the recent resignations by councillors, the administrator held regular informal and formal meetings with the Ascension Island Council. The Governor also participated regularly in meetings of the council. Following the councillors' resignations, we are considering urgently how to proceed, and are taking steps to ensure that those working and living on Ascension Island are fully informed. The Acting Governor will issue a leaflet this week providing advice for those on the island considering standing for election.

ASEAN

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with ASEAN leaders on expediting the resettlement of refugees in the region.

Ian McCartney: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not had any discussions with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders on expediting the resettlement of refugees in the region.
	However, the UK works with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) on the issue of the resettlement of refugees, including those in the ASEAN region. Applications for resettlement are assessed by UNHCR staff against a clear set of criteria.

Burma: Democracy

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent meetings UK Government officials have had with  (a) the Karen National Union,  (b) the Kachin Independence Organisation and  (c) other ethnic organisations working for democracy in Burma.

Ian McCartney: There have been no meetings with representatives from the Karen National Union or the Kachin Independence Organisation.
	Officials are in regular contact with a range of organisations working for democracy in Burma.
	Most recently, I met representatives from the Chin Human Rights Organisation, Women's League of Chinland and Kachin National Organisation on 24 January.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has made to the Government of Democratic Republic of the Congo on the arrest and trial of Marie-Thérèse Nlandu and others; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: The Government are closely following the continued detention of Mme. Nlandu. Our ambassador in Kinshasa has raised the case of Mme. Nlandu on several occasions with Congolese Ministers, the Congolese Interior Minister and President Kabila's advisors. He raised the case with President Kabila himself in February. Embassy officials have also been present during some of her appearances in court and visited her in prison last month. We continue to monitor her situation and treatment closely. International partners are doing the same.

Departments: Personation

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps her Department has taken to raise awareness of the dangers of identity fraud among departmental employees.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 28 March 2007
	 The Foreign and Commonwealth Office provides advice to its staff on the dangers of identity fraud and internet security through its intranet security advice web pages, other publications and training courses.

Gaza

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the freedom of EU monitors to access the Rafah border checkpoint in the Gaza strip; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: We, along with our EU partners, are concerned at the impact of the frequent closures of the Kerem Shalom crossing which means EU border assistance monitors have to withdraw from Rafah causing the crossing to close. The EU is in regular discussion with both sides to enable the Rafah border crossing to be as effective as possible.
	We are aware of the importance of the Rafah crossing point to the Palestinian people. We continue to call upon both sides to implement fully the November 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access.

Gaza

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she has considered the possibility of stationing EU officials monitoring the Rafah border checkpoint between Gaza and Egypt on the Egyptian side of the border; what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on this issue; what the outcome was of these discussions; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: I have had no recent discussions about this issue with my EU counterparts. Under the strategic direction of the Political and Security Committee, EU officials are currently examining options to ensure the maximum effectiveness of the Rafah border crossing in the context of the possible renewal of the EU mission's mandate in May 2007.

Horn of Africa and Sudan

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 6 February 2007,  Official Report, column 823W, on the Horn of Africa and Sudan, whether any of the representatives of the parties to the conflict in the Horn of Africa and Sudan whom Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have met in the last 12 months are members of organisations included on the  (a) UK and  (b) EU list of proscribed terrorist organisations; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have met no representatives of the parties to the conflict in the Horn of Africa and Sudan who are members of organisations included on the UK and EU list of proscribed terrorist organisations in the last 12 months.

Marc Swanson

John Thurso: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2007,  Official Report, column 838, on Marc Swanson, on which dates her officials in Brazil have had contact with the  (a) Brazilian Ministry of Justice and  (b) local police; and what information was received on each occasion.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 28 March 2007
	Our consulate in Rio de Janeiro first made contact with the Brazilian authorities about the disappearance of Marc Swanson on 25 November 2003. They have continued to follow the investigation and remind the local authorities of our interest in resolving the case. Our embassy in Brasilia submitted a letter on behalf of Marc's mother on 15 August 2006, through the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for the attention of the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). Reminders were sent on 5 October 2006 and 14 January 2007. Following further inquiries we can confirm that the MoJ requested clarification on the case from the Secretary for Public Security (MoPS) in the state of Rio de Janeiro where Marc Swanson was reported as missing. The MoJ sent a reminder to the MoPS in February 2007. The MoJ informed us that the MoPS have assured them that they will intensify their investigation into the case, including further involvement with the police in the state of Rio de Janeiro. We will continue to press the Brazilian authorities to conduct a full and thorough investigation.

Members: Correspondence

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when she will reply to the letter of 6 February 2007 from the hon. Member for North East Milton Keynes on Mr. Ken Hawkins, a constituent, of Willows End House, Milton Keynes, MK15 8AZ.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 27 March 2007
	I understand that the hon. Member's question refers to his letter of 28 February to which my right hon. Friend the Minister for Europe will be replying this week.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 6 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1843W, on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, whether any informal representations have been made  (a) directly and  (b) indirectly to the UK Government on Trident and the UK's compliance with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Ian McCartney: No informal representations with respect to non-compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) have been made directly to the UK by another state party to the treaty. We are also unaware of any indirect statements to this effect. As stated in the 2006 White Paper 'The future of the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrence' and accompanying fact sheets: renewing the current Trident system is fully consistent with the NPT and with all our international obligations.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 6 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1843W, on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, whether any states have made informal representations on UK compliance.

Geoff Hoon: We have no record of any recent informal representations by any states on UK compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The Treaty entered into force in 1970. A thorough search of all historical records since then would incur disproportionate cost.

Pakistan: Human Rights

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had with the Government of Pakistan on its blasphemy laws and hudood ordinances.

Geoff Hoon: My right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade, visited Pakistan in November 2006 and raised the issue of human rights with the Government of Pakistan. He welcomed the adoption of the Women's Protection Bill in November 2006, which made significant amendments to the hudood legislation governing rape and adultery, as an important step by the Government of Pakistan.
	In subsequent correspondence with the Government of Pakistan in February, my right hon. Friend raised the abuse of the blasphemy laws and the impact on religious minorities in particular.
	We will continue to raise our human rights concerns with the Government of Pakistan, bilaterally and together with our EU partners.

Saudi Arabia

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if she will raise the case of Mr. Rafiq Gorji, his late wife and the safety of Hajj pilgrimage travel with the Saudi authorities.

Ian McCartney: Following the bus crash near Rabigh in Saudi Arabia on 9 December 2006 when three British nationals—including Mr Gorji's wife— died, our ambassador in Riyadh met the Saudi Arabian Minister of Hajj on 10 February and raised the issue of travel safety for pilgrims during the Hajj.
	The Minister explained that new measures to improve travel safety would be introduced from next year. These would include:
	a requirement that each bus must have two drivers;
	a ban to be introduced on all buses carrying pilgrims between Mecca and Medina, after 11 pm; and
	the development of a new train project between Mecca and Medina.
	The safety of British nationals abroad is a priority for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and we welcome these new initiatives.

Sudan

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports she has received on the recent use of air attacks by the Sudanese airforce on civilian targets in Darfur; and what progress has been made with her discussions with allies on introducing and enforcing a no-fly zone in Darfur.

Ian McCartney: The most recent aerial bombardment we are aware of in Darfur was on 11 February. This was reported by the African Union Mission in Sudan. We have condemned the Sudanese Government for mounting this attack. Although we are not aware of any aerial bombardments since then, the Government of Sudan retains the capacity to mount future bombing raids.
	We believe the UN Security Council should impose further measures on those responsible for violating UN Security Council Resolution 1591. In particular, we are pressing for improved monitoring of offensive military flights in and over the Darfur region. We will be taking this forward with our Security Council partners in the coming days. We continue to consider the possibility of imposing a No Fly Zone.

Sudan: Peace Negotiations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the prospects for success of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement for Sudan.

Ian McCartney: President Bashir and First Vice President Kiir re-affirmed their commitment to implementing the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) during its second anniversary celebrations in January. But these statements need to be underpinned by serious action. Although there have been advances, not least the formation of the Government of National Unity and the remitting of oil revenues to the south, major issues under the CPA remain outstanding. Of these, resolving the Abyei dispute, north/south border demarcation and initiating election preparations are among the most important. These pose a credible threat to the CPA's future and ordinary Sudanese people's belief that making peace brings about positive change. The UK continues to press for more rapid progress through its membership of the CPA implementation monitoring body—the Assessment and Evaluation Commission. The UK stressed the importance of CPA implementation at the 20-21 March second Sudan Consortium.

Sudan: Peace Negotiations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role her Department is playing in the negotiations between the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement and the Government in Sudan on boundary disputes to be settled as part of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

Ian McCartney: The absence of an agreed north/south border has major implications for meeting key security and wealth sharing milestones. The Border Committee's work needs urgent acceleration to ensure this matter is resolved as quickly as possible. International partners, including the UK, stand ready to help. Through the UK's seat on the Assessment and Evaluation Commission—the international body established to monitor the effective implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA)—we will continue to press for the Border Committee to complete its work as soon as possible.
	Deadlock on the Abyei Boundary Commission's recommendations must be broken. As an interim step, the UK, with partners, has been pressing the National Congress Party and the Sudan People's Liberation Movement to agree to establish a civil administration in Abyei to ensure the delivery of basic services to local residents.

Uganda

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she has made recent representations to the Ugandan government on its relationship with the Presidential candidate Jean-Pierre Bemba and the Mouvement de Libération du Congo.

Ian McCartney: We have regular high-level discussions with members of Uganda's government and have regularly raised Uganda's role in stability in the region. We have not made any recent representations specifically regarding the Democratic Republic of Congo's opposition leader Jean-Pierre Bemba or the Mouvement de Libération du Congo.
	Our High Commissioner in Kampala saw President Museveni most recently on 28 February to discuss efforts to resolve the conflict in northern Uganda and concerns over the rule of law in relation to the detention of the alleged People's Redemption Army suspects.

Uganda: Zimbabwe

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make representations to the Ugandan government on its recent rejection of a Parliamentary motion to condemn human rights violations in Zimbabwe.

Ian McCartney: Our High Commissioner in Kampala called on the Ugandan Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 28 March to discuss the government's position towards Zimbabwe and to seek its support for an EU statement at the Human Rights Council condemning recent human rights abuses in that country.

Zimbabwe

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when she expects the EU Common Position on Zimbabwe will next be reviewed; and whether the UK will advocate a strengthening of the Common Position.

Margaret Beckett: The EU Common Position was renewed for a further 12 months on 19 February. The targeted measures it contains can be reviewed and amended by unanimity at any time. We will propose to EU partners that the key perpetrators of the violence on 11 March should be added to the list of those subject to a visa ban and assets freeze.

Zimbabwe: Human Rights

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken by her Department to raise the issue of Zimbabwe at  (a) the United Nations Security Council and  (b) other United Nations bodies; what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of these efforts; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: My right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade, condemned the government of Zimbabwe in his speech to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on 13 March. While there, he also discussed the situation with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, who herself has made a statement. Our Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva also raised Zimbabwe at the Human Rights Council on 14 March. In response to our concerns, the UN High Commissioner agreed to monitor the judicial process directed against Mr. Tsvangarai and his colleagues. We are also pressing for further action in the UN Human Rights Council.
	We have welcomed the statement made by the UN Secretary-General. On 16 March, our Permanent Representative to the UN in New York raised Zimbabwe with the Secretary-General and Security Council ambassadors. As a result, the Secretary-General has agreed to arrange an urgent briefing on the humanitarian situation.

Zimbabwe: Human Rights

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she has had discussions with the New Partnership for African Development on whether Zimbabwe has been  (a) through the Partnership's peer review mechanism and  (b) assessed for its human rights record.

Ian McCartney: Zimbabwe has not been examined under the New Partnership for African Development peer review process, this is a voluntary process. But the Africa Commission on People and Human Rights has been asked to report on the human rights situation in Zimbabwe at a future session of the African Union's Executive Council.

Zimbabwe: Sequestration of Assets

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Zimbabwean individuals have been placed on the EU's sanctions list; which Zimbabwean institution each relevant individual represents; what the estimated value is of each individual's assets frozen under EU sanctions; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: There are currently 125 Zimbabweans named on the EU's assets freeze and travel ban list. A copy of the list will be placed in the Library of the House. Another five will be added as a result of a recent ministerial reshuffle. All members of President Mugabe's Cabinet and ZANU-PF's Politburo are included, together with governors, heads of the security forces, election officials and others associated with abuses. In the United Kingdom, 42 accounts containing a total of £172,000 are currently frozen.

HEALTH

North West Ambulance Service

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effect on levels of demand for the North West Ambulance Service of private sector clinical assessment, treatment and support coming into service.

Andy Burnham: Primary care trusts in Cumbria and Lancashire will discuss the effect on demand for ambulance services with the North West Ambulance Service over the coming months as detailed specifications for the independent sector clinical assessment, treatment and support (CATS) services are developed.

Breast Cancer: Screening

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women over the age of 70 self-referred for breast cancer screening in  (a) Surrey Primary Care Trust and  (b) England in the last period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is in the table:
	
		
			  Area  Self/general practitioner referral for breast screening for women aged 70 and over in 2005-06  Self/general practitioner referral for breast screening for women aged 70 and over 2003-04 to 2005-06 
			 East Elmbridge and Mid Surrey Primary Care Trust 297 770 
			 East Surrey Primary Care Trust 45 409 
			 North Surrey Primary Care Trust 136 431 
			 England 45,990 156,089 
			  Source:  KC63 The Information Centre

Breast Cancer: Screening

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women in Bolton have been screened for breast cancer over the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The information has been set out in the table.
	
		
			   Numbers screened 
			 2002 13,741 
			 2003 14,823 
			 2004 14,958 
			 2005 14,835 
			 2006 14,590 
			  Note: Figures refer to women between 60-64 screened in Bolton Primary Care Trust.  Source: KC63 The Information Centre for health and social care

Cervical Cancer: Screening

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of the reasons for recent trends in attendance levels for cervical screening by 25 to 29 year-olds.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 7 March 2007,  Official Report, column 2094W, to the hon. Member for Southend, West (Mr. Amess).

Cervical Cancer: Screening

Laura Moffatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of cervical smears for younger women.

Rosie Winterton: Research carried out by Cancer Research UK and presented to the Advisory Committee on Cervical Screening coupled with 15 years of experience of screening has shown that screening women under the age of 25 may do more harm than good.
	The cervix is still developing in women under 25 and during the cervical screening process, this development can look like cervical abnormalities, giving a false positive result and resulting in unnecessary investigations and treatments.
	By increasing the starting age of cervical screening to 25, we are reducing the number of these unnecessary investigations and unnecessary treatments, as well as reducing the anxiety they cause.
	The International Agency for Research on Cancer, an agency of the World Health Organisation, endorse the current starting age of 25 and recent evidence has show that treatment with LLETZ (large loop excision of the transformation zone), following an abnormal cervical sample test, can cause premature delivery in later pregnancies.
	Women under 25 who are concerned about their risk of developing cervical cancer or about sexual health should contact their general practitioner or genito-urinary medicine clinic.

Cervical Cancer: Vaccination

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she has any plans to introduce a national human papilloma virus vaccination programme.

Caroline Flint: holding answer 26 March 2007
	The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is in the process of thoroughly examining the vaccine safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness evidence concerning human papilloma virus vaccines. The work is being taken forward by a sub-group of JCVI, with further work ongoing to evaluate whether the vaccine is considered to be a cost-effective prevention of cervical cancer and the impact that HPV vaccine may have on genital warts.
	The sub group's advice will be reported to the main JCVI committee for further discussion.
	No decisions will be taken on introducing these vaccines into the immunisation programme until JCVI has presented its advice to Ministers for their consideration.

Children: Abuse

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated by her Department on rates of child abuse by women who have previously had an abortion; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Department has not commissioned any research in this area but child abuse by women who have previously had an abortion is not known to be a factor in the risk of child abuse.

Dentistry

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision is made for dental treatment for people in prison.

Rosie Winterton: In April 2006, primary care trusts (PCTs) took full responsibility for commissioning all prison health services in their area including dental health services. PCTs are now responsible for assessing the oral health care needs of the inmates of local prisons and contracting with suitably trained and experienced dental practitioners to meet all reasonable needs.

Departmental Commercial Director

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Department's outgoing commercial director will be involved in the appointment of his successor; and what Civil Service rules apply.

Caroline Flint: The appointment process falls under the remit of the Office of the Civil Service Commissioners and the provisions of the Commissioners' Recruitment Code. The outgoing Commercial Director will not be involved in the appointment of his successor.

Departments: Manpower

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were employed by her Department on 1 January of each of the last five years; and how many of these staff were  (a) permanent employees,  (b) temporary staff and  (c) contractors.

Caroline Flint: The numbers of permanent and temporary civil servants (full-time equivalents) employed by the Department on 1 January in each of the last three years are as follows:
	1 January 2007: 2,256 permanent, 45 temporary;
	1 January 2006: 2,323 permanent, 72 temporary; and
	1 January 2005: 2,341 permanent, 73 temporary.
	Figures for 1 January 2004 and 1 January 2003 are not available.
	The number of contractors and agency staff (full-time equivalents) working for the Department on 1 January 2007 was 230.
	Figures for 1 January for the years 2003-06 are not available.

Diabetes: Medical Equipment

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the number of people with diabetes who have not gained access to blood testing strips and blood glucose testing equipment; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Data are not collected on the numbers of people who have not gained access to blood glucose testing strips and blood glucose testing equipment.
	Blood glucose testing strips are available on national health service prescriptions and are available free of charge to people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes whose condition is controlled by insulin or tablets.

Diabetes: Screening

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many diabetics visited hospitals and clinics in order to get their blood glucose tested in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: Data are not collected in the format requested.
	The table shows the numbers of people with diabetes who received HbA1c (a marker of long-term control of diabetes) or equivalent test in 2004-05 and 2005-06, the latest years for which figures are available:
	
		
			   Numbers of people aged 17 and over with diagnosed diabetes  Numbers of people who received a HbA1c or equivalent test in the previous 15 months 
			 2004-05 1,734,165 1,637,774 
			 2005-06 1,841,571 1,776,415 
			  Source: The Quality and Outcomes Framework

Food: Packaging

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the merits of requiring food packaging to be tamper proof.

Caroline Flint: The substance and form of food packaging is the responsibility of food manufacturers.
	There are no requirements under food law for packaging to be tamper proof. European Commission General Food Law Regulation 178/2002 requires that food should not be unsafe for consumption. Tamper proof packaging might help meet this requirement but this would be a decision for the business concerned.

GPs: Training

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) duration and  (b) content will be of the training to be offered to GPs who wish to take on the role of GP with Special Interest; what hospital specialties she expects to be covered by the programme; what estimate she has made of the number of GPs likely to apply; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The appointment general practitioners with a special interest (GPwSIs) is local matter for primary care trusts. The Department supports this process through guidance, including specific advice on the following specialties:
	care for older people;
	coronary heart disease;
	child protection;
	dermatology;
	diabetes;
	drug misuse;
	echocardiography;
	emergency care;
	ear nose and throat;
	epilepsy;
	genetics;
	headaches;
	mental health;
	musculoskeletal conditions;
	palliative care;
	respiratory medicine; and
	sexual health.
	The Department has commissioned the Royal College of General Practitioners to review these frameworks. Revised versions will be published later this year as competency based specialty frameworks.
	On training, the departmental guidance makes it clear a qualification alone is not enough and that GPwSIs should have acquired skills through supervised practice in an appropriate setting. Detailed training requirements are however a local matter and information on such training is not collected centrally.

Heart Diseases: Exhaust Emissions

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will commission research into the relationship between levels of air pollution from motor vehicles and rates of heart attack amongst women; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The commissioning of research into this area will need to be considered along with other research priorities.
	A paper produced by Miller et al, 2007, on the 'Long-term exposure to air pollution and incidence of cardiovascular events in women', was published in the New England Journal of Medicine 2007; 356: 447-458 on 1 February 2007.
	The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants considered this important publication at its meeting on 23 February 2007 and are exploring the findings in more detail, including the need for further research.

Heart Diseases: North West Region

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions her Department has had with the North West Strategic Health Authority on the adequacy of sufficient personnel to operate myocardial perfusion scanners in the region.

Rosie Winterton: There have been no discussions between the Department and NHS North West about the staffing of myocardial perfusion scanners in the region.

Hepatitis

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research is planned in the next 12 months to ascertain the likely incidence in the UK of all types of chronic hepatitis over the next decade; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Medical Research Council (MRC) funds a portfolio of basic and underpinning research relating to the various types of hepatitis, which may lead to further understanding of the condition. Research specifically related to the likely incidence of all types of chronic hepatitis over the next decade in this country is not currently being funded.
	The Health Protection Agency (HPA) is carrying out ongoing work to estimate the future burden of hepatitis C-related disease in this country. The HPA and the British Association for the Study of the Liver (BASL) are collaborating on a study of end-stage liver disease in patients who are infected with hepatitis B or C and on a pilot survey of the number of people infected with hepatitis C who are treated and treatment outcome in this country.

Hepatitis C

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2007,  Official Report, column 2298W, on Hepatitis C, what her assessment is of the reasons for the increase in the number of laboratory cases of Hepatitis C in the London region between 2002 and 2006.

Caroline Flint: Acute hepatitis C infection usually occurs without symptoms, and there are no laboratory tests to differentiate between acute (recent), chronic (long-standing) or resolved hepatitis C infection. Therefore, trends in the number of laboratory diagnoses reflect the number of individuals being tested, rather than the incidence of infection, and those infections identified may have been acquired years or even decades earlier.
	The rise in the number of laboratory diagnoses of hepatitis C in London is likely to reflect greater awareness of hepatitis C and increased testing of individuals as part of the investigation of liver disease (including abnormal liver function), testing in known risk groups or as part of screening (for example for occupational health reasons).

Hospices: Finance

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department is taking to ensure that hospices receive adequate funding; and if she will make a statement on the future of hospice funding.

Rosie Winterton: Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for commissioning and funding palliative care services locally, including the level of funding for hospices. It is for PCTs to determine how to use the funding allocated to them and to commission service; to meet the healthcare needs of their local population.
	As part of the dignity in care for older people initiative, Ministers have recently announced a capital fund of up to 40 million that adult hospices can bid for to improve their environment.
	The role of, and funding for hospices are among the issues which will be considered by the end of life care strategy.
	We have announced funding of £27 million over 3 years for children's hospice services. The first grants were made in October 2006. We have also established an independent review of the long term sustainability of children's palliative care services (including children's hospices). The review is due to report in spring 2007.

Hospital Beds

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many bed days were occupied by patients with long-term conditions in each year since 1997-98.

Andy Burnham: Information on the number of hospital bed days occupied by patients with long-term conditions is not collected.

Hospital Beds

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps her Department has taken to identify and promote best practice on the management of hospital lengths of stay.

Andy Burnham: The National Health Service Institute for Innovation and Improvement has published a number of documents that include advice on best practice. These are available on its website at www.institute.nhs.uk and include:
	Delivering Value and Quality: Focus on Productivity and Efficiency,
	Delivering Value and Quality: Focus on High Volume Care, and
	Delivering Value and Quality: Directory of Ambulatory Emergency Care for Adults.

Hospitals Closures: Media Interest

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 8 January 2007,  Official Report, column 39W, on hospital closures (media interest), what methodology was used to arrive at predictions for media interest  (a) now,  (b) in the summer,  (c) in the autumn and  (d) in the future as indicated on the heat maps released by her Department on 7 November 2006; and for what reasons her Department analysed media interest surrounding potential hospital closures.

Andy Burnham: It is routine for the Department to monitor media activity and uses a range of methods to do this. The Department produced a set of maps following discussions with strategic health authorities (SHAs). These gave an indication of local media coverage of health service issues by SHA. The maps have not been updated.

Hospitals: Admissions

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the impact of the introduction of referral management schemes by primary care trusts on patient choice; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  when she expects to answer Question number 121925, on referral management schemes, tabled by the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green on 16 February.

Andy Burnham: There has been no central assessment as this is for local determination.
	The Department's guidance to the national health service is clear that, whether patients are referred direct to hospital by their general practitioner, or through a referral management scheme, they should be offered the choice of which hospital they wish to be referred to. We have asked primary care trusts to review existing referral management centres to ensure that they create tangible benefits for patients, and uphold the principles set out in Care and resource utilisation: ensuring appropriateness of care, published on 14 December 2006. This is available in the Library and at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidanceArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4141316&chk=iJxRrx
	One of the principles in this document is that choice should be offered to patients when they are referred to hospital.

Hospitals: Infections

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research her Department has undertaken on the relationship between hospital lengths of stay and hospital acquired infection.

Caroline Flint: Length of stay was one of the factors considered in a report by Public Health Laboratory Service: Plowman, Rosalind et al and is available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4089724
	This found that patients who acquired an infection in hospital remained in hospital longer than uninfected patients. On average an infection resulted in an extra 11 days in hospital.
	The Department is also working on a desk analysis aimed at studying links between hospital level methicillin-resistant  Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) rates and a variety of factors relating to hospital policy, management and patient mix. One of the variables included is an aggregate average length of stay measure for inpatients in each trust. This will test whether, other things being equal, hospitals whose patients have long lengths of stay tend to have higher MRSA rates than hospitals with shorter lengths of stay. The report is being peer reviewed and will be published later this year.
	The mandatory surveillance of health care associated infections report 2006, available in the Library and at www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hai/mandatory_report_2006.htm, provides information on acquisition and length of stay.

In-patients

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people aged  (a) 50 to 64,  (b) 65 to 74 and  (c) 75 years and over were placed on (i) general wards and (ii) specialist wards in each of the last 10 years, broken down by primary care trust; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The information is not available.

Kettering General Hospital

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will visit Kettering General Hospital to discuss local NHS funding.

Andy Burnham: There are no immediate plans by the Secretary of State to visit Kettering General hospital.
	Funding is allocated to primary care trusts (PCTs) who are responsible for commissioning appropriate services to meet the health needs of their local populations.
	Funding for the former Northamptonshire Heartlands PCT increased by over 31 per cent. (£63 million) in the three years from 2003-04 to 2005-06. The new Northamptonshire Teaching PCT which was formed on 1 October 2006 will receive £139 million in the two years from 2006-07 to 2007-08.
	When the PCT allocations for 2006-07 and 2007-08 were made, Northamptonshire Heartlands PCT, which has since been merged to form the Northamptonshire Teaching PCT, received an increase of 29.4 per cent, over these two years compared to a national average increase of 19.5 per cent, and the fifth highest increase of any PCT.

Kidney Patients

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many people in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) England (i) were diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and (ii) required renal replacement therapy in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many people in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) England received renal replacement therapy in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: There is no national registry of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Over 99.9 per cent., of people with CKD will be under the care of general practitioners (GPs) and not seen by secondary or tertiary hospital services.
	At general practice level, maintenance of a practice register of patients with CKD became a part of the quality and outcomes framework in April 2006, which in due course should mean that a very rich dataset will be available for every community in the country.
	The United Kingdom Renal Registry (UKRR) holds data on patients receiving renal replacement therapy. The Newcastle renal unit has only been returning these data to the UKRR since 2002. The registry has analysed this data and determined that the number of people receiving renal replacement therapy in South Tyneside at the end of each year since then is in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of people receiving renal replacement therapy in South Tyneside 
			  As of 31 December  Number 
			 2002 78 
			 2003 83 
			 2004 89 
			 2005 97 
		
	
	In the North East of England, the number of people receiving renal replacement therapy at the end of each year is in the following table.
	
		
			  People receiving renal replacement therapy in the North East of England 
			  As of 31 December  Number 
			 2002 1,469 
			 2003 1,501 
			 2004 1,571 
			 2005 1,635 
		
	
	Across England, the number of people receiving renal replacement therapy at the end of each year is in the following table.
	
		
			  People receiving renal replacement therapy across England 
			  As of 31 December  Number 
			 2002 30,966 
			 2003 31,248 
			 2004 32,256 
			 2005 34,574 
		
	
	Data on the number of patients receiving renal replacement therapy are not collected by parliamentary constituency.

Kidney Patients

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) England were on the waiting list for treatment for dialysis services in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: There is no specific waiting list for dialysis. Dialysis is often an emergency treatment, and patients with no kidney function will die in a matter of weeks if they do not receive dialysis. For patients whose disease has been identified well in advance of end-stage renal failure, dialysis begins at a time that they and their consultant feel is appropriate.

Kidney Patients

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people died from chronic kidney disease whilst waiting for NHS treatment in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) England in each year since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: These data are not collected centrally.

Mental Health Services: Children

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting times were for young people to see child and adolescent mental health services staff in the last three years for which data are available.

Caroline Flint: Information is not collected in the format requested. The most recent information available is from the 2005 child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) mapping exercise. In November 2005, there were 26,207 children and young people waiting to be seen by specialist CAMHS in England, a reduction of 2,674 from the previous year.
	In November 2005 52 per cent. of new cases were seen by specialist CAMHS within four weeks, an additional 33 per cent. within 13 weeks, and a further 10 per cent. within 26 weeks. Five per cent. of children and young people waited over 26 weeks to be seen by specialist CAMHS.

NHS: Complaints

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the budget for advertising the NHS complaints procedure was for each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: Individual national health service organisations are under a legal requirement to publicise complaints procedures. Information on how much money has been spent on this activity is not collected centrally.

NHS: Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total value of capital-to-revenue transfers made by her Department was in each year since 1997-98.

Andy Burnham: The information is in the table
	
		
			   Capital to revenue transfers( 1)  (£ million) 
			 1997-98 270.981 
			 1998-99 372.082 
			 1999-2000 534.951 
			 2000-01 750.292 
			 2001-02 877.830 
			 2002-03 1,019.344 
			 2003-04 835.796 
			 2004-05 405.562 
			 2005-06 391.562 
			 (1 )This includes all transfers, main, in year and technical adjustments.

NHS: Procurement

Dai Havard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 14 March 2007,  Official Report, column 315W, on NHS: procurement, what restrictions are in place on how DHL can  (a) apply a margin and  (b) increase a sell price.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is considered commercially sensitive.

Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Trust: Maternity Services

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the total expenditure on maternity services was at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole hospitals NHS trust in each of the last five years.

Andy Burnham: The following table shows the total expenditure on maternity services at Northern Lincolnshire and Goole hospitals national health service trust.
	
		
			  £000 
			   2001-02  2002-03  2003-04 
			 Maternity function: patients using a bed 8,224 8,539 9,096 
			 Maternity function: out-patients 1,274 877 2,070 
			 Health programme: maternity services 0 0 1,128 
			 Total 9,498 9,416 12,294 
			  Note: Data is obtained from the annual financial returns, because of changes in the format of the financial returns, this information is not available after 2003-04.  Source: Financial returns of the Northern Lincolnshire and Goole hospitals NHS trust 2001-02 to 2003-04

Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Trust: Maternity Services

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made since September 2006 with the new model of midwifery care announced by the Northern Lincolnshire and Goole hospitals NHS trust.

Andy Burnham: The proposed changes to midwifery services were implemented in January 2007. The newly formed teams now cover the geographical areas of Goole and Isle, Barton, Brigg, town centre north and town centre south. The Yorkshire and the Humber strategic health authority (SHA) reports that the teams are now staffed by both midwives and midwifery support workers, a newly developed post at national vocational qualification (NVQ) level 3. The teams are now practicing from either midwifery centres (Goole, Crowle, Brigg and Ashby) or from children's centres (West Street, Henderson Avenue and Castledyke). A few antenatal clinics continue to be offered from general practitioner surgeries.
	The Northern Lincolnshire and Goole hospitals national health service trust continues to evaluate the changes made to the model of care.

Nutrition

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions she has had with  (a) the Food Standards Agency,  (b) Ofcom,  (c) Grocer magazine and  (d) others on the nutrient profiling model; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The development of the Food Standards Agency's (FSA) nutrient profiling model was subject to extensive public consultation prior to being agreed by the Agency's Board in 2005, and both the Department and the FSA have received a number of representations on the model since.
	I have had regular discussions with the FSA on the model while it was being developed for use by Ofcom, to enable them to target new rules on television advertising of foods high in fat, salt or sugar, without having an unhelpful impact on the advertising of healthier options.
	I have had several discussions with the Chair of Ofcom, and wrote in support of the model as an appropriate basis for underpinning regulatory intervention in relation to broadcast food advertising to children on 6 December 2005.
	I have also undertaken two interviews with The Grocer magazine in May and September 2006, at which time the nutrient profiling model was raised among other topics.

Overweight Children

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate she has made of the proportion of children who were  (a) overweight and  (b) obese in each of the last 10 years, broken down by age.

Caroline Flint: The information is not available in the format requested. Data on obesity and overweight prevalence among children are available from the Health Survey for England. Data on obesity and overweight cannot be provided for individual ages, over a time series. The tables show the prevalence of obesity and overweight for children aged two to 10 and 11 to 15, for the last 10 years for which data are available.
	
		
			  Children's overweight and obesity prevalence, by survey year, 1995 to 2005, England 
			  Percentage 
			   1995  1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002 
			  Aged  2- 10 
			 Overweight 12.8 12.4 12.5 13.6 13.8 12.6 14.8 13.2 
			 Obese 9.9 10.6 10.9 11.6 14.6 12.0 13.1 15.5 
			 Overweight including obese 22.7 23.1 23.4 25.2 28.4 24.6 27.9 28.7 
			  
			  Aged  11-15 
			 Overweight 13.6 14.2 14.0 15.2 14.3 12.3 15.8 14.7 
			 Obese 14.4 14.3 15.9 16.9 16.1 18.5 18.2 19.5 
			 Overweight including obese 28.1 28.6 29.9 32.1 30.4 30.8 34.1 34.2 
			  
			  Aged  2- 15 
			 Overweight 13.1 13.0 13.0 14.1 14.0 12.5 15.1 13.8 
			 Obese 11.5 11.9 12.6 13.4 15.1 14.3 15.0 17.0 
			 Overweight including obese 24.5 24.9 25.6 27.5 29.0 26.8 30.1 30.8 
			  
			  Bases (weighted) 
			 2-10 2,527 2,783 4,089 2,552 1,262 1,094 2,129 4,654 
			 11-15 1,293 1,363 2,043 1,301 665 624 1,223 2,726 
			 2-15 3,819 4,146 6,132 3,853 1,927 1,718 3,352 7,381 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   2003( 1)  2004( 1)  2005( 1)  2003( 2)  2004( 2)  2005( 2) 
			  Aged 2-10   
			 Overweight 14.0 14.2 14.3 14.0 14.7 14.2 
			 Obese 13.7 14.3 16.7 13.8 14.5 16.8 
			 Overweight including obese 27.7 28.5 30.9 27.8 29.1 31.0 
			
			  Aged 11-15   
			 Overweight 15.2 16.1 14.4 15.4 16.0 14.5 
			 Obese 21.2 25.0 20.5 21.0 25.4 20.6 
			 Overweight including obese 36.4 41.1 35.0 36.4 41.4 35.1 
			
			  Aged 2-15   
			 Overweight 14.5 14.9 14.3 14.6 15.2 14.3 
			 Obese 16.5 18.3 18.0 16.6 18.8 18.3 
			 Overweight including obese 31.0 33.2 32.4 31.2 34.0 32.6 
			
			  Bases (weighted)   
			 2-10 1,774 759 1,419 1,736 726 1,338 
			 11-15 1,081 465 794 1,109 480 855 
			 2-15 2,854 1,224 2,212 2,845 1,206 2,193 
			 (1) From 2003 data were also weighted for non-response. Data weighted for child selection only are provided for consistency with previous years. (2) Weighted.  Source: The Health Survey for England: Uprating of tend tables to include 2005 data. The information Centre.

Patients Forums

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she intends patient and public involvement forum members to become members of local involvement networks; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: While we are strongly encouraging forum members to become involved in the new local involvement networks (LINks), we do not wish to prescribe that they should automatically become members because we want all aspects of the arrangements for LINks to be locally determined. It will be a matter for each LINk and Host to consider how best to attract members and involve all people, especially those with experience and knowledge of patient and public involvement.

Patients Forums: Finance

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the money provided by her Department to county councils for the purpose of establishing and supporting local involvement networks will be ring-fenced; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: It is Government policy to devolve power to local authorities, which will make decisions on priorities according to local needs. For this reason we will not be ring-fencing the funds made available for local involvement networks (LINks), but will be making a targeted grant to each local authority with social services responsibility for the purpose of supporting LINk activities.

Patients Forums: Powers

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether local involvement networks will have a right of entry and access in order to carry out inspections; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: It is our intention to give local involvement networks a right of entry to health and social care facilities to enable them to carry out their activities. Clause 175 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill, which is currently before Parliament, sets out the duties services-providers will be under to allow entry by local involvement networks.

Patients Forums: Public Appointments

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will issue national guidance on how members should be appointed to local involvement networks; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: We are clear that LINks must be able to be flexible and reflect the nature of local communities. Therefore we do not wish to centrally prescribe details on membership. However we do think it is important to provide models of good practice in terms of recruitment, support and conduct of those involved in LINk activity. These will be set out in guidance in due course.

Photosensitivity

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research she has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the effect on people diagnosed with photosensitivity of (i) low energy light bulbs and (ii) incandescent light bulbs; and what assessment she has made of the implications of a ban on the latter for people with photosensitivity.

Caroline Flint: The Department has not commissioned work of this specific nature. There are no firm proposals to ban such light bulbs and it would clearly be necessary to engage the various interested Government Departments, regulatory agencies and advisory bodies in the event of such a ban being considered.

Prostate Cancer

David Clelland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made by the NHS in making available National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence approved treatments for prostate cancer.

Rosie Winterton: In June 2006, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published guidance for the national health service on the use of docetaxel for the treatment of prostate cancer. NICE recommended the use of this treatment for particular groups of patients.
	NICE technology appraisals are covered by a three-month funding direction. PCTs have a legal obligation to provide funding for treatments recommended by NICE within three months of the guidance being issued.
	NICE guidance is also included in "Standards for Better Health", which sets out the Government's high-level expectations for the health service. Adherence to NICE technology appraisals is one of the core standards against which NHS organisations are assessed in the Healthcare Commission's annual health check.
	In July 2006, Professor Mike Richards, the National Cancer Director, published a review report examining the uptake of NICE approved cancer drugs. Although the report did not include docetaxel for prostate cancer as its guidance had only just been finalised, the report found that approval of a cancer drug by NICE led to increased use of that drug by the NHS and a reduction in variation in use.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Vaccination

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to introduce human papilloma virus immunisation for females aged 12 years and above in England; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is in the process of thoroughly examining the vaccine safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness evidence concerning human papilloma virus vaccines. The work is being taken forward by a sub-group of JCVI, with further work ongoing to evaluate whether the vaccine is considered to be a cost-effective prevention of cervical cancer; and the impact that HPV vaccine may have on genital warts.
	The sub group's advice will be reported to the main JCVI committee for further discussion.
	No decisions will be taken on introducing these vaccines into the immunisation programme until JCVI has presented its advice to Ministers for their consideration.

Social Services

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which  (a) primary care trusts and  (b) local authorities in England provided services for adults with (i) low and (ii) moderate social care needs in each year since 2001.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is not held centrally.

Toxocariasis

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of human toxocariasis there were in England in each year since 1997-98, broken down by primary care trust area.

Caroline Flint: Toxocara is not a notifiable disease in England and Wales, therefore the numbers of cases per year is taken from confirmed diagnostic laboratory reports. The Health Protection Agency received 19 laboratory reports in 1998 and fewer than 10 reports in each of the years since then. The breakdown of data by primary care trust area is not collected.

Transplant Surgery

Anthony D Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were on a waiting list for an organ transplant in each of the last 10 years.

Rosie Winterton: The table shows the number of people placed onto the organ transplant list at any time during each of the last 10 years and those on the list at the end of each of the relevant calendar years.
	
		
			   On list anytime during the year  On list at end of year 
			 1997 9,886 6,457 
			 1998 9,831 6,507 
			 1999 9,785 6,676 
			 2000 10,070 6,779 
			 2001 10,280 6,842 
			 2002 10,420 7,072 
			 2003 10,622 7,278 
			 2004 11,290 7,725 
			 2005 12,096 8,111 
			 2006 13,187 8,990